Die with You
by xbleeple
Summary: Five years, and a load of turmoil later, Sharon and Andy are finally on the same wavelength and embarking on a new relationship together. [Sequel to The Heat of the Moment]
1. Chapter 1

**Note:** Hi everyone! Welcome to the sequel to "The Heat of the Moment", please keep your hands and legs inside the ride at all times. (Just kidding, no maiming carnival rides here)

The title of this fic, while it sounds a little dramatic, is actually inspired by the song "Die with You" by Beyonce. This fic is intending to pick up (relatively) right after the last one, and carry us through Sharon and Andy's relationship, hopefully up and into the show. And when I first heard the song it struck me as very "Shandy". So, even if you're not a huge Bey fan, I would suggest giving it a listen at least once.

As always, please read and review.

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Andy sighs as he lifts his arm and wipes the sweat from his brow. After _moving in_ with Sharon, they had decided to finish a basic remodeling the basement and rearrange the bedrooms. The last couple weekends had been him and Provenza doing the heavy work of hanging drywall and lighting and Sharon had painted before they finally got around to moving the furniture. He had disassembled his bedroom set and was moving it down to the basement to set up a guest room.

"That's the last of it," Andy says as he sets the frame of the dresser down where Sharon points. She was putting everything back together as he brought it downstairs. She puts all of the dresser drawers back in and smiles as she leans up and kisses Andy's cheek.

"Why don't you take a break for a bit hmm? I'll make lunch and then we can bring in the rest of the stuff from the garage."

"That sounds great," Andy says wrapping his arm around her waist as he pulls her in closer for a kiss. Sharon hums as she kisses him back before pulling away to go upstairs. She checks in on Emily and Ricky in the living room before getting started on lunch for the four of them.

Andy bounds up the stairs from the basement and grabs a dirty towel from the laundry to wipe his face and neck off before going into the living room. He plucks Emily up from the couch and hangs her upside down as she squeals, trying to get free of his grip.

"Daddy put me down!" Emily yells while Ricky laughs from the playpen, precariously bouncing up and down on chubby legs as he holds on to the rail of his confines.

"Put you down?" Andy asks.

"Yes!"

"Okay," Andy shrugs, giving her a jolt as he loosens his grasp on her while she's still upside down. Emily screams and latches onto his arm as he chuckles before righting her and setting her down on her feet. She huffs and stomps her foot before going into the kitchen. Andy laughs a little harder as he leans down and picks up a giggling Ricky, "I don't think your sister likes being hung upside down."

Andy tickles Ricky and tosses him in the air as he makes is way into the kitchen. He sets the boy down in his high chair and takes the bowl of bite sized chunks off the counter before setting it down in front of him.

"oh!" Ricky says before digging his hand into the bowl.

"What should I give him to drink?" Andy asks Sharon as he gets a sippy cup down for Ricky.

"He seems to be doing okay with the regular milk if you want to give him about half a cup of that," Sharon suggests before giving Emily a plate. Andy fills the cup for Ricky before twisting the top on and setting it down in front of him. He fills up Emily's tiny juice cup as well before putting the jug back in the fridge. Sharon brings two plates of leftovers over for them, setting Andy's down next to Ricky before taking a spot next to Emily.

"Are you guys almost done moving stuff?" Emily asks as she takes a bite out of a chicken nugget.

"We still need to bring in the stuff from the garage and put it up but then we'll be done," Sharon says, "What do you think we should have for dinner tonight?"

"I don't know," Emily says, with a shrug.

"What about tacos?" Andy suggests, "You picked up that hamburger from the store the other day."

"Ooh, that sounds good," Emily agrees before slapping Ricky's hand away from her plate as he leans over trying to grab one of her chicken nuggets. The little boy whines and bursts into tears.

"Emily..." Sharon shakes her head, "What have I told you about doing that?"

"He was trying to take my food."

"Still, don't smack his hand away, just move your plate and tell him no," Sharon reiterates as she calms Ricky, giving him another piece of his own cut up chicken nugget.

"Why do I always get yelled at?" Emily retorts as her brow furrows, "He's being rude."

"Your brother is still a baby and learning manners," Sharon tells her, her own eyes narrowing, "And I don't like your tone right now."

"Sorry," Emily grumbles, looking down at her plate. After the four of them finish lunch Sharon puts the dishes in the sink before letting Emily out in the back yard and taking Ricky to lay him down. So far his crib had been moved into Emily's room. They had gone back and forth on which kids would bunk together and decided that they were better off letting Nicole and Charlie have their own space and having Emily bunk with her brother.

Sharon makes her way to the garage where Andy was moving a few things out of their way so they could get the second bed frame and furniture they had gotten into the house easily. She brushes her hair out of her face and sighs as she looks around. She'd barely been in the house a year and already the garage needed to be cleaned. But that was for another weekend.

"You know she gets that from you," Sharon says as she grabs a couple drawers that Andy hands her.

"Gets what?" Andy retorts as he picks up one of the night stands, following her into the house.

"That saucy attitude," Sharon says with a matter-of-fact tone as she walks down the hallway.

"She does not," Andy says indignantly, almost dropping the night stand at her accusation.

"Oh yes she does," Sharon replies with a grin. She waits for him to put the night stand down before putting the drawers in.

"That sass is all you," Andy says, his brown eyes sparkling.

"Are you calling me sassy?" Sharon asks as she stands toe to toe with Andy, narrowed green eyes staring up at him.

"I think I am," Andy smarts back.

"Maybe I should make you move your bed back up here," Sharon shrugs, moving to head back into the hall.

"Oh no you don't," Andy says as he grabs her hand, pulling her back to him. Sharon laughs and grins up at him as his arm slips around her waist, "I am never moving that bed again."

"Well then you better stick in line," Sharon tells him with a playful but matter of fact tone, rubbing her hand up his chest. Her palm rests over his heart and she takes a deep breath as her face gets more serious, "I have really enjoyed the last couple weeks…I want you to know that. You…make me really happy, a lot happier than I've been in a while."

"All I want is for you to be happy," Andy tells her, squeezing her gently. He reaches up and brushes a lock of hair behind her ear, "And I've enjoyed every moment that I've spent with you since the day I met you."

"Every one?" Sharon hums.

"Mmhm," Andy smiles, pressing a kiss to her lips before slapping her on the ass. Sharon yelps and glares at him before rolling her eyes with a huff as she leaves the room. Andy laughs as he follows her, "That huff she gets from you."

"Keep talking, Mr. Flynn," Sharon threatens as she steps into the garage again. The two of them manage to get all of the furniture moved into the bedroom and put together by the early evening. Sharon shoos Andy off to take a shower before she makes the kids' beds and finishes setting things up. Once Andy showers and gets dressed he nudges Sharon towards the bathroom and assures her he will get dinner started and keep an eye on the kids.

Sharon takes a quick shower before dressing in a pair of leggings and one of Andy's t-shirts and twisting her hair up at the back of her head in a clip. She makes her way down to the kitchen and smiles when she sees Emily at the table coloring as Andy stands at the stove with Ricky on his hip. She runs her fingers through her daughter's hair before walking over to the stove and pressing a kiss to Ricky's head as she runs her hand up Andy's back.

"Smells good."

"I _can_ make more than just Italian food," Andy smiles, "You want to set the table?"

"Sure, do you want me to take him?" Sharon asks as she gets down a few plates.

"We're doing okay," Andy replies, feeding Ricky a little bite of hamburger, "Aren't we bud?"

"Mmm," Ricky hums happily as he chews over the small bite. Sharon smiles and leans up, pressing a kiss to Andy's cheek before beginning to set the table.

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[TBC]


	2. Chapter 2

**Note** : Thanks guys for following me over to this new fic, I'm glad the first chapter was enjoyable. This chapter takes place a couple months after the last one. Please read and review and let me know what you think!

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Sharon groans and rolls away from Andy as the phone starts to ring on her bedside table. She reaches out and curls her fingers around the phone before bringing it to her ear.

"O'Dwyer…" Sharon mumbles as Andy's arm curls around her waist, his hand resting on her stomach, "Daddy? What's wrong? It's…230 in the morning."

Andy grunts as Sharon dislodges him a moment later by sitting up, resting his hand on her back as she talks.

"What happened? I just talked to her a couple days ago…she was asking what I wanted for my birthday," Sharon says, her tone a little clearer, "A follow home…I'll take the first flight out this morning. There's usually a six o clock that I can take…I love you too."

"What's going on?" Andy asks as he sits up on his elbow as she hangs up the phone.

"That was my dad…my grandma died," Sharon says as she looks over her shoulder, still processing the information, "Her neighbor found her this morning, it looked like someone broke in last night. Might have followed her home from dinner."

"Oh Shar…" Andy frowns sitting up all the way and brushing her hair out of her face. Sharon shakes her head after a moment, pushing herself up.

"I need to call work and the airport, can you put a bag together for the kids?"

"Yeah of course," Andy nods, getting out of his side of the bed and heading into the kids' room. He picks out a few outfits for the both of them, getting a couple nice church outfits out of the closet before bringing it all back to the bedroom and putting them in the suitcase Sharon had out.

Sharon had the phone wedged to her shoulder and was talking to the person on the other end as she picked out clothes for herself, going through her closet and pulling out a couple black dresses along with her favorite pair of black heels. She throws a handful of underwear and a few bras on top of everything before pulling the suitcase closed. Andy zips it up and carries it downstairs, setting it by the door before adding nicer shoes for the kids. When he gets back to the bedroom she's sitting on the edge of the bed reading off her credit card number over the phone, confirming the details before hanging up and putting the card back in her wallet.

"So much for those new shoes," She whispers to herself as she puts the wallet back in her purse before getting up and offering a weak smile at Andy, "I'm going to take a shower and get dressed. I managed to get us seats on the 530. I'd say give it about half an hour and then we can get the kids up and dressed."

"Sure," Andy nods before holding his hand out, "Come're."

"Andy…"

"Come here," Andy insists, pulling her closer once she takes his hand. He wraps his arms around her and holds her close. Sharon wraps her arms around him, her hands resting on his bare back as her cheek presses against his chest.

"I just talked to her the other day," Sharon whispers as a tear rolls down her cheek.

"I know," Andy says as he rubs his hand up and down her back. He holds her for a few minutes before letting her go get in the shower. He sits on the edge of the bed waiting for her, wondering if he had enough days off to go with her. He had ended up in PTO debt after going to rehab and last time he checked he was almost in the black again. A few minutes later Sharon comes out and gets dressed in jeans and an LAPD t-shirt, pulling on a pair of socks as she sits on the edge of the bed before sighing as she runs her fingers through her damp hair, "When I go in later I'll see if I can get some time off to come out with you guys, even if it's just for a couple days."

"I don't want you to have to use that time," Sharon says, "I know you just started getting it back."

"That's what it's supposed to be used for," Andy reminds her. Sharon nods and leans her head against his shoulder before sighing and looking at her watch.

"We should get the kids up and start heading to the airport," She murmurs.

"I'll get them," Andy says, squeezing her leg before going to wake up the kids. He manages to get Emily to change into a pair of stretchy pants and a t-shirt, leaving Ricky in his pajamas as he carries the baby down to the car. He tucks him into his carseat and lifts Emily in next to him before putting the suitcase in the trunk. He opens the passenger side door for Sharon, holding his hand out as she looks at him confused.

"What are you doing?" Sharon asks.

"I'm taking you to the airport. God knows you probably spent a fortune on those tickets the car doesn't need to be parked at the airport while you're gone," Andy explains, "So get in."

Sharon sighs and offers Andy a thankful look as she gets into the passenger seat of the car. He shuts the door and goes around to the other side, getting in. The drive to the airport is quiet as Emily falls back to sleep, her cheek squished up against Ricky's carseat. Andy pulls up to the drop off lane and gets out, getting the suitcase before rousing Emily again. Sharon gets Ricky out and presses a kiss to his head before thanking Andy as he pulls the handle of the suitcase up.

"Call me when you get in," Andy says as he rubs the back of Ricky's head, looking into Sharon's eyes. He was toddling around but it wasn't worth the tantrum to wake him up to make him walk.

"I will," Sharon nods.

"Be good for your Mom," Andy tells Emily before watching the three of them walk inside. He waits for a little bit before getting in the car to head home.

Sharon calls Andy when she gets into Hartford, letting him know that they had arrived okay and that her parents had picked them up. She calls later in the evening her time to talk to him a little longer, explaining what she had learned since they arrived.

Most likely her grandmother had been followed home after going out to dinner the night before and whoever had broken into the house had knocked her over, which wouldn't have been a huge deal except for the couple bones that were broken and the fact that she was left laying there after the fact which ended up sending her into cardiac arrest. Not much had been taken from the house and the cops were looking for leads to see if anything that had been stolen was being sold. They were having the funeral on Friday and she was hoping to be home by Monday at the latest.

Andy told her that he wasn't able to get any time off approved considering the short notice and that it technically wasn't his family that the death occurred in. Sharon assured him that they would be fine before handing the phone over to Emily for a little bit. Andy smiles as he talks to the little girl for a few minutes before bidding her a goodnight as she hands the phone back to Sharon. The two spend a few more moments talking before Sharon tells him goodnight and hangs up herself.

Andy's week was relatively uneventful as he spent most of his time at work before moping around the house, not used to being there all alone. He generally spoke to Sharon when he got home, right before they went to bed, taking a couple minutes out of their phone call to talk to Emily and even say hi to Ricky, the boy's nonsensical babble bringing a smile to his face. Thursday night when they talked he could tell the day had been hard on her and she was on the brink of tears the whole time, what was happening finally hitting her. Before she hung up she'd pitifully whimpered that she wished he was there.

After looking at his watch and chewing at the toothpick in his mouth for a few moments he looks up the phone number for the airport, dialing it with a practiced thumb. He inquires about their flight schedule to Hartford, buying a ticket for the non stop that left in an hour and a return flight for Saturday morning. He grabs one of his nicer work suits out of the closet, putting it in a garment bag before heading for the airport. He parks the car and rushes his way inside, picking up his ticket before heading for the gate.

By the time he got to Hartford it was a little after three am and Andy realized he didn't know where Sharon's parents lived. He sighs as he stands outside the airport, walking over to a phone bank and pulling out one of the phone books. He flips through the pages until he finds the O's, flipping the thin sheets of paper until he finds a listing for a William and Mary O'Dwyer. He digs a pen out of his pocket and writes it down on his hand before going to one of the waiting taxis. He gives them the address, watching the quiet lights pass by until they navigate into a neighborhood. Large colonial houses pass them by as the driver expertly turns down streets before pulling up a long driveway and stopping.

"This is it. 728 Maple Glade Street."

"Ah thanks," Andy says as he looks out the window before looking at the fare counter. He pulls out a few bills from his wallet and hands them over before getting out of the car and waving the driver off. He takes a deep breath as he looks up at the house again. The house was a pale cobblestone traditional colonial with a bright forest green door and a three car garage. Tea lights flickered in all of the windows and Andy could see lights on in a solarium attached to the house off to the right.

After debating between knocking on the front door and waking the whole house and taking his chances with the occupant of the solarium, Andy turns and makes his way around to the side. He smiles when he sees Sharon curled up on one of the lounges, tapping quietly on the side door to grab her attention. Sharon's head snaps up and her eyes widen when she sees Andy standing on the other side of the door before she gets up from her spot and makes her way over, undoing the locks. She opens the door and sighs as he immediately wraps her up in his arms.

"What are you doing here?" Sharon murmurs into his chest as she closes her eyes. She was amazed at how quickly his scent had become familiar and comforting to her.

"Can't you tell? I have a terrible cough and couldn't possibly go to work tomorrow…" Andy says as he rubs his hand up her back, "You sounded like you needed someone when we talked last night."

"So you just jumped on a plane and flew out here?"

"Of course," Andy says. Sharon tips her head back and rests her chin on his sternum, looking up at him with sad green eyes. He brushes her hair back from her face and cups the back of her head, "You said you wished I was here. Well here I am."

Sharon swallows and blinks, her eyes tearing up. She leans up on her toes and presses her lips to Andy's, kissing him slowly and softly for a moment before pulling back and stroking his cheek.

"I love you," She murmurs, swallowing as a single tear slips down her cheek. Andy's heart catches as a smile spreads across his lips. He pulls her closer and captures her mouth with his own, kissing her deeply before he pulls back and presses a kiss to her nose and then her forehead.

"I love you too…" Andy replies, "And I don't care what I had to spend to be here for you."

"Thank you," Sharon says as she leans her head against his chest again, closing her eyes. Andy holds her for a few moments before she pulls back and offers her hand, "Come on, I'm sure you're exhausted."

"I wouldn't mind laying down," Andy smiles. Sharon smiles back and turns off the lights before taking his hand and leading him upstairs, "I knew your parents had money…but this is…money."

"They invested well when my dad started making more money," Sharon says opening the door to her room and showing him inside. Ricky was sprawled out on one side of the bed and the bedside lamp was on low. Andy strips down to his undershirt and boxers before gently lifting the boy up. He climbs into his side of the bed and settles down against the pillows, letting Ricky sprawl over his chest as Sharon cuddles up to his side. He wraps his arm around her and rubs her back as he closes his eyes.

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[TBC]


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes:** Thanks for the reviews - I'm glad you guys enjoyed the last chapter, this one picks up a couple hours later.

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"I hadn't talked to her since Ricky was born. She was upset with me for getting divorced," Sharon says as she lays in bed with Andy in the morning. The house was still quiet so she could tell that her parents nor Emily had gotten up yet, "And I always suspected that Mom told her about Emily and Ricky, but she'd never say anything about it. She still sent cards to all three of us on most holidays. She even sent a few things with my mom for Christmas. But the other day was the first time we talked in a while…"

"Why was she mad at you for getting divorced?" Andy asks as he looks over at Sharon.

"People in my family don't get divorced," Sharon shrugs, "They deal with it. Of course she also frowned upon me going to college and joining the LAPD so…I was already a bit of a black sheep."

"So old school," Andy summarizes.

"Yeah," Sharon nods. Ricky yawns and stretches out from his position on Andy's chest, his eyes slowly blinking open. He smiles sleepily as he looks over at his mother before jumping as Andy clears his throat. He pushes himself up and grins as he finally sees Andy.

"Baba!"

"Morning, buddy," Andy smiles, patting his diapered bottom gently, "You know you have a pretty good deal here. Sleeping next to such a beautiful lady."

"My parents don't really have any baby stuff. I wasn't going to make them go buy a playpen when he's fine sleeping in bed with me," Sharon says as she reaches out and smoothes Ricky's hair down. She hears the floor outside her room creak as feet go walking by, "That's my parents."

"Should we go join them?" Andy suggests. Sharon sighs and nods, slipping out of bed before putting on her robe. She reaches down and takes Ricky from Andy, pressing a kiss to his cheek before grabbing his diaper bag to change him.

Andy gets out of bed and grabs his pants from the day before, pulling them back on before running his hand through his hair. He takes the dirty diaper from Sharon and tosses it in the trash before picking Ricky up off the bed, "Ah, your grandma - Mom's mom or..."

"Yeah, my mom's mom," Sharon nods with a small, sad smile. The three of them make their way downstairs to the kitchen, finding Emily and Bill sitting at the table and Mary busied at the counter making coffee.

"Daddy!" Emily says as she looks up and spots Andy. She climbs down from her chair and runs over, wrapping her arms around his leg.

"Hey monkey," Andy says, ruffling her hair with a smile.

"Andy, I didn't know you were coming," Mary says as she sets a mug for Bill on the table before taking a seat herself.

"Last minute change of plans," Andy says as he sets Ricky down on the ground, steadying him before letting him toddle around, "I didn't get in until late last night."

"Sharon, you should have told me I could have made up the guest room," Mary reprimands her daughter as she fills two coffee cups.

"I didn't know," Sharon says, exasperated, as she hands one of the cups to Andy, "I told you he said that he couldn't get the time off at the beginning of the week, and someone decided to play hooky. Also, I'm in my thirties and we have two kids together, I think we can preclude any pretense that we don't sleep in the same bed together."

"I have a cough," Andy says, letting out a pathetic cough. Sharon narrows her eyes at him and shakes her head before a smile slips over her lips. Sharon takes a seat next to her father and pulls Emily into her lap as she grabs the front page of the paper. Andy grabs Ricky before he can wander out of the kitchen, turning him around, "When I talked to Shar last night it seemed like I might be of better use here than LA right now."

"Well thank you for coming, Andy," Mary says after shooting her daughter a look. Sharon sticks her tongue out after she looks away.

"It's not a problem at all," Andy assures her as he puts his hand on Sharon's shoulder, "And I'm very sorry for your loss. It's never easy to lose a parent."

"Are both of your parents still around?" Mary inquires.

"My mom is," Andy says, "My dad passed away in my early twenties. Had a massive heart attack at 55."

"That's awful," Sharon says. They had talked a lot about Andy's family as he grew up, but not much about the recent state of affairs. She knew he didn't get to go home a lot, and they rarely came to visit.

"It was rough," Andy agrees as he takes a seat at the table, grabbing Ricky by his shirt before lifting him to sit in his lap.

It was later in the morning by the time they all started to get ready to go to the church. Andy was taking a shower in the bathroom across the hall from Sharon's room, shaving and dressing in his pants and undershirt before heading back to the bedroom to grab the rest of his clothes. He pauses outside the room as he hears Sharon talking to her mother.

"Mom! Stop. I told you, this is the only black dress I have right now that fits," Sharon snaps, exasperation in her tone.

"I would have felt better about another color if it'd had a better cut," Mary says with a disapproving voice, "The hem's a bit short don't you think?"

"The hem is fine, the back is fine, I'm wearing the sweater with it," Sharon replies, "I hardly have the extra income to go buy an entire new wardrobe right now."

"You breastfed for too long. You're top heavy."

"Mom!" Sharon exclaims. Andy steps forward and knocks on the door before poking his head in. Sharon looks up from the mirror and catches his eyes with a weak look, "Hey, your shirt and jacket are hanging up."

"Thanks," Andy says, walking over to the wardrobe where she had hung his items up. He takes his shirt off the hangar and shrugs it on, buttoning it up before tucking it in. He holds his tie out to Sharon and arches his eyebrow, "Want to give me a hand?"

"Sure," Sharon nods, stepping over to him.

"I'm going to go check on your father," Mary says before slipping out of the room. Sharon sighs as she loops the silk around Andy's neck, shaking her head.

"You know," Andy says quietly, eyeballing the kids playing on the bed together. Emily was dressed in a dark green velvet dress and Ricky was dressed in a white collared jumper with black pants. He catches Sharon's eye again after looking her over, taking in the black dress she had on. The hem brushed a little higher than usual above her knees and he knew the back was low cut, but it was currently hidden by the cardigan she had on, "I happen to like you top heavy."

Sharon rolls her eyes as she continues to work her fingers over Andy's tie. He reaches up to stop her when she doesn't say anything back, tipping her chin up so she's looking at him.

"Hey."

"Don't worry about it…" Sharon says as she starts to move her fingers again, "She's stressed…she's hurting. She's not usually like that."

"Well I suppose that's good," Andy says as he lifts his chin so the can button his collar. She cinches the tie up and puts his collar down before smoothing the outfit out.

"You look nice," She comments with a small smile.

"So do you," Andy smiles. He grabs his suit jacket and pulls it on, doing up the buttons before shaking it out, "Ready?"

"Yeah," Sharon nods, looking in the mirror one last time to brush her fingers through her hair before going to grab Ricky from the bed, "Em, we're going to leave here in a minute."

"Okay," Emily hops down from the bed and follows her parents downstairs. The six of them pile into the limo that had come to pick them up, making their way to Sharon's childhood church. Emily gets sat between Sharon and Bill as Ricky sits on Andy's lap. Andy wraps his fingers around hers, squeezing occasionally as he catches her trembling out of the corner of his eye.

After the funeral they make their way to the cemetery for a short graveside service before going back to Sharon's parents. While they were gone a caterer had come in and taken over the house, setting out a spread and setting up a small bar in the solarium that he had found Sharon in the night before. With the amount of family around it was easy for Emily to find other kids to play with and Sharon kept Ricky close, occasionally letting him down to walk as she mingled with family members she didn't see very often.

She was polite in introducing Andy to them, generally after having to explain that she and Jack had divorced. After an hour and a half Andy could notice that everything was taking a toll on her and politely excused them from their current conversation with a cousin of hers before guiding her upstairs to her bedroom. He shuts the door quietly behind them and sinks down on the bed next to her.

"Thank you," Sharon whispers, taking Ricky as he leans closer to her. Andy rubs his hand up her back and kisses her head.

"I probably shouldn't have come, should I?" Andy asks as he thinks back to the constant questions and looks that Sharon had been getting.

"No, no, no," Sharon shakes her head, looking up at Andy. She reaches up to cup his cheek, stroking her thumb gently over his skin, "I'm so glad you came. No matter what."

"You sure?" Andy asks, his eyes furrowing in concern.

"Yes," Sharon says, offering a small smile. She leans over and kisses him softly before resting her head against his shoulder.

Andy left early the next morning, leaving Ricky in bed next to Sharon and stopping in Emily's room to kiss her on the head before jumping in a cab to the airport. Sharon had purchased tickets for them to be back Sunday in the early evening so Emily didn't have to miss any more school.

From his position leaning next to the car he watched as she and the kids made their way out to the pickups, Sharon pausing for a moment and relaxing as the warm LA air hits her face. After she opens her eyes again she looks around and smiles when she sees Andy, pointing Emily in his direction as she wheels the suitcase over and carries Ricky. She pauses a few feet away and tilts her head in question as Emily's face lights up and she races over to the car.

"What is that?" She asks Andy. Andy arches his eyebrow in question before turning around as Emily squeals, leaning up to the back seat window to pet the dog that was currently hanging out. From what Sharon could tell it looked like a mix that had at least some Australian Shepherd in it with the merle patterning it had going on.

"Ah shit!" Andy says with a groan, his hand thumping the roof of the car, "I was at a scene all afternoon and animal control has been backed up so I figured I'd take him to the pound on my way here. I completely forgot he was in the back seat."

"Daddy, I love him!" Emily exclaims as the dog licks at her face.

"Andy..." Sharon groans and shakes her head.

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[TBC]


	4. Chapter 4

**Note: Thanks so much for the great response to the last chapter, I'm glad everyone is enjoying this fic so far :D Please let me know if there is anything you're expecting to see, or want to see. I have plans but I also have gaps between those that could be filled in.**

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After a lot of discussion (and mostly tears on Emily and Ricky's part) they had ended up keeping the dog after the victim's family hadn't shown interest in keeping her. Emily had insisted that they name her, after finding out it was a her, Lily. After they had picked up her paperwork from her vet, they found out that Lily was an Australian Shepherd and Bernese Mountain Dog mix, and was only about a year old. She was well trained and gentle with the kids, but still had a habit of chewing things on occasion as Sharon was finding out.

"Lily!" Sharon yells as she heaves another pair of shoes out of her closet. Shoes, Lily chewed on shoes, and more specifically Sharon's shoes. In the few months that they had had her Lily had managed to chew through about half of Sharon's shoes, leaving her with a limited selection to wear to the office. Both Andy and the dog show up in the door to the bedroom, Lily with her tail wagging happily as Andy buttons his cuffs.

"What?"

"She chewed another pair of my shoes," Sharon growls as she gets out a pair of black flats and pulls them on, "That's the fifth pair since we got her! And she seems to have something against my work shoes, considering the only pair of heels I have left are my brown ones!"

"I'll replace them," Andy says trying to calm her down.

"That's not the point!" Sharon half yells before taking a deep breath and sighing, "I know we said we would keep the dog for the kids, but I'd rather make Emily cry for a few days than have to replace half our stuff because she's chewing on it. She needs to go to lessons or something, because if I lose one more pair of shoes..."

"I'll take care of it today," Andy assures her, putting his hand on her shoulders, "I promise."

"Thank you," Sharon sighs before looking over and finding Lily laying next to the bed chewing on the shoes she had discarded earlier, "Lily!"

The dog stops and looks up at Sharon, the navy pump hanging out of her mouth. Andy sighs and takes the shoes from the dog, pointing his finger at her.

"No! You do not chew," Andy says firmly at Lily before tossing the shoes into the trash. Sharon huffs before grabbing her blazer and leaving the bedroom, making her way down the hall.

"Emily, grab your bag we need to go!" Sharon calls out to her daughter as she fills a travel mug with coffee. She twists the lid on and grabs a damp cloth off the sink before wiping Ricky's face off and getting him out of his high chair. Emily comes bounding down the hallway dressed in her school uniform with her backpack bouncing on her back. Sharon hands her a lunch box and picks up Ricky's bag before grabbing her own.

"Come on, Lily," Andy says, opening the door to her crate that was in the living room. The dog dutifully goes in and spins around a few times before laying down as he locks the door. He grabs his own keys and makes sure the back door is locked before leaning down and pressing a kiss to Sharon's lips, tugging her closer as she tries to pull away. After a moment Ricky lets out a yell from being squished between them and Andy pulls back with a laugh, "Have a good day, I love you."

"You too," Sharon says with a small smile before herding the kids out of the house and to her car.

Later that evening Sharon makes her way into the house with an arm full of folders and kicks her shoes off inside the door, making it a few steps before she goes back and picks them up, putting them into the closet and shutting the door. She resumes her path into the kitchen and out to the back yard. Andy was sitting on one of their lawn chairs and watching the kids as they run around with Lily. There was a plate of grilled chicken sitting on the table next to him along with a couple side dishes.

It was evident that they had already eaten and that the kids and dog were just burning off some extra energy, as the sun started to set. Andy looks up from the kids and smiles at her, sitting up a bit more. She smiles back and sets the files down along with her bag before walking over and sitting down in his lap.

"Hi," Andy says as he wraps his arm around her waist. Sharon sighs as she unbuttons her blazer before running her fingers through her hair and settling into him.

"Hi," She murmurs, tipping her head over to give him a kiss.

"What did the old croney want?" Andy asks as he rests his chin against her shoulder.

" _Commander Robbins_ ," Sharon stresses with a small smile, "Wants me to prepare some materials for a conference that he's attending in January. He also thinks that it might be good for me to join him."

"Oh yeah?"

"Mmhm. It's a law enforcement leadership conference in Houston," Sharon nods with a wider smile. Her Commander always told her that she did a great job and had the skills to lead the division some day, it was good to finally see something come of that.

"It'd be great if you could," Andy says with a smile.

"He's supposed to be asking Chief Andrews about it, hopefully I'll know in a couple weeks. You'd be okay to handle the kids on your own?"

"Yeah," Andy nods, "Of course. Worst case I'll just lock them in an interview room for a week with a vending machine."

"Andy..."

"We'll be fine," Andy says reassuringly. Sharon shakes her head and leans down and kisses him again.

"You think you're funny sometimes," She murmurs against his mouth.

"Correction," Andy says with a smile, "I think I'm funny all the time."

"Ha, ha," Sharon says as she hugs Andy close to her, pressing a kiss to his forehead before getting out of his lap to go see the kids. She grabs Lily's toy from Emily and throws it across the yard, sending the dog chasing after it before she kisses her daughter on the cheek and hugs her close, "Where's your brother?"

"Over there," Emily says, pointing to the corner of the yard where Ricky was crouched down, picking at the dirt of the garden.

"Ricky!" Sharon calls out, half in admonishment half to get his attention, before giving Emily another squeeze, "How was school?"

"Good," Emily smiles.

"Ballet?"

"Fun, we're getting ready for our Christmas recital!" Emily exclaims, more interested in talking about her ballet class than school, "We're going to be in the Nutcracker!"

"Really?"

"Mmhm," Emily nods, "The older kids are going to be the stars, but we're going to help. And we get to wear costumes!"

"That sounds like fun, I can't wait to see you," Sharon smiles before looking down as Ricky tugs on her skirt.

"Mama!"

"Hi my sweet boy," Sharon says as she picks him up, pressing a kiss to his cheek before squeezing him close, much the same way she had Emily, "Oh I missed you."

"Mama," Ricky giggles as her eyelashes tickle his neck. She sets him down again after a moment and lets them continue playing with the dog as she makes her way back over to Andy. She grabs one of the empty plates and puts a piece of chicken and some salad on it before starting to eat as she watches the kids continue to play. She finishes quickly and thanks Andy as he takes her plate from her before getting up and calling out to the kids. It was almost completely dark out and they needed baths before bed.

She picks Ricky up and nudges Emily inside before letting the dog in and shutting the sliding glass door behind herself. Andy was boxing up their leftovers and loading the dishwasher, a kitchen towel draped over his shoulder and his dress shirt rolled up to his elbows.

"Em, why don't you go get ready for a bath hmm?" Sharon prompts. The little girl nods and scampers off down the hall as Sharon leans up and kisses Andy's cheek, "I'm going to get them in the bath and into bed, I'll meet you in bed after?"

"Sure," Andy nods and smiles. Sharon smiles back before carrying Ricky down the hall. She gets the tub filled up with warm bubbly water and helps Emily in before undressing Ricky and plopping him in next to her. She takes off her blouse, leaving her in a lace camisole and her skirt as she bends over the tub to bathe the kids.

Ricky plays with his bath toys as she lathers Emily's hair up before running conditioner through the long locks. She clips it up and gives Emily the loofah to clean up with before turning her attention to Ricky and getting him bathed. She gets him out and bundles him up in a towel before placing him on the floor next to her and finishing with Emily.

Emily pulls the plug and stands up as the water drains, thanking her mother as she hands her a towel. She gets Ricky up and follows Emily to their room, dressing and diapering Ricky before setting him in his crib. He stands up and holds onto the bars as he watches Sharon brush and braid Emily's hair before tucking her in. She turns off the overhead light before reaching into the crib and laying him down again. Ricky yawns as she gives him his blanket and presses a kiss to his head. She pulls the door closed most of the way before making her way down the hall to her and Andy's room.

"Did you get anything from Emily's dance teacher for this recital?" Sharon calls out to the bathroom as she puts her shirt in the bin for the dry cleaners before unzipping her skirt and doing the same.

"Yeah I put it on the fridge," Andy says as he comes out only dressed in a pair of pajama pants, "We need to order her costume by the end of next week."

"How much is it?" Sharon asks as she goes into the bathroom herself, turning on the water to warm up to wash her face.

"Don't worry about it," Andy says as he leans in the doorway, watching her go through her nightly routine.

"Andy…"

"We said that I would pay for ballet."

"I asked you to pay for the lessons," Sharon points out as she soaps up her hands before starting to massage them over her face.

"And I can pay for the other stuff too," Andy says, "You're worrying too much about money again."

"I haven't stopped," Sharon lets out dryly as her fingers swipe over her T-zone, "Lily is hardly helping anything either by chewing up half my wardrobe."

"I called the vet today and stopped and got her a couple new chew toys on the way home. He said we just need to keep her active so she doesn't get bored. I figure the kids can run her around at night and I'll take her on a long walk in the morning before work," Andy says, watching as she splashes water over her face to rinse away the suds before grabbing a hand towel to dry with. He steps forward and wraps his arm around her waist, pressing a kiss to her neck. Sharon sighs and drops her head forward, as she leans into his hold, "Let me carry some of that weight. I can help more than you're letting me."

"They're my kids, I should be able to..."

"They're _our_ kids," Andy corrects and rests his forehead against the crown of her head, "And I'm not just your roommate and you're not taking advantage of me."

"You're right, I'm sorry," Sharon sighs softly, "I spent so long taking care of Emily alone..."

"I know," Andy assures her, giving her a squeeze. Sharon pulls away and resumes her routine, grabbing her toothbrush off the counter. Andy makes his way back to the bedroom and pulls the covers back, sinking down to his side of the bed. Sharon comes out a couple minutes later and changes into a nightgown before climbing into bed with him. She sinks down between his legs and presses her lips to his chest before resting her head over his heart.

"I need…" Sharon whispers before pausing, feeling Andy's hand rub up her back. She closes her eyes and sinks into his hold a little further, "I know you're not Jack. But I need to be able to take care of them, of their base needs, on my own before I can relax. I can't be left in the lurch again…"

"You're not taking care of yourself," Andy reminds her, his hand stopping between her shoulder blades as his nostrils flare at the slight comparison to her ex husband. She had been running herself ragged since her grandmother's death, eating less, working more overtime than usual. She was coming home later from Church on Sunday's, spending more time in confession he expected, and their sex life had had a steep drop off in the last couple weeks. He knew it wasn't always going to be a walk in the park, but he didn't think things would come to a head so quickly, and frankly he was worried.

"They need to be taken care of," Sharon says, "That's what's important."

"You're important. Let me carry some of that weight. Let me take care of you a little bit, hmm? That doesn't make you weak…or a bad mom," Andy says. He easily slips his hands under her arms and pulls her further up his chest, looking into her eyes. He brushes her hair back from her face and strokes her cheek pressing a kiss to her forehead, "It's the weekend, we don't have Char and Nic tomorrow, let me take you shopping and replace the stuff that Lily has chewed up and whatever else you want or need. You can spend the afternoon with the kids and I'll take care of dinner. And if you're really good I might even give you a back rub."

"I don't need you to…"

"I want to," Andy insists, meeting her narrowed green eyes with firm brown ones, "And you either come willingly or I drag you."

"How did I get so lucky?" Sharon asks, relenting after a moment as she presses a soft kiss to Andy's lips before snuggling her head into his shoulder.

* * *

[TBC]


	5. Chapter 5

Sharon wakes up in the morning and slips out of Andy's arms, pulling her robe on. She makes her way to the bathroom before going to check on the kids. She finds Emily's bed empty and Ricky standing up in his crib, yelling out the window.

"Mimi!" He pauses for a moment before yelling again, "Mimi!"

"What are you doing bubba?" Sharon asks before looking out the window to find Emily in the back yard laying in the grass with Lily, "Did Mimi leave you in here so she could go play?"

"Mimi!" Ricky says emphatically pointing. Sharon smiles and picks him up out of the crib, changing his diaper before taking him out back.

"Emily what are you doing?"

"Tanning," Emily says. Sharon smiles and rolls her eyes as she walks over to her daughter.

"Honey, we're Irish, we don't tan we burn," She tells her, "And I don't want you coming out back without waking me or Daddy up okay?"

"I thought Daddy was Italian," Emily says, opening her eyes and looking up at Sharon.

"Daddy's half Italian, half Irish, which makes you more Irish than Italian," Sharon says as she sets Ricky down, "No matter how dark your hair or eyes are, you were unlucky enough to get my fair skin."

"Oh," Emily says.

"Why don't you help me get breakfast ready?" Sharon asks, reaching out to help Emily up.

"Can Lily help?"

"Lily can lay in the kitchen with us," Sharon says as she guides the kids inside, whistling for Lily once they get in. Sharon and Emily make breakfast before she sets the kids up at the table and makes a tray for Andy, carrying it down the hall. She nudges the door open before softly kicking it shut walking over to set the tray on Andy's bedside table.

Sharon sits down on the edge of the bed and rubs her hand up his chest, her fingers trailing through his chest hair with a smile. She gently scrapes her nails back down, her smile widening as she hears him take a big inhale, a grunt coming out as she tugs at the waistband of his pajama pants teasingly, "Morning."

"Mmm good morning," Andy rasps as his eyes finally opens, "Do I smell pancakes?"

"Mmhm," Sharon nods as her hand dips below his waistband, cupping his morning erection. Andy groans and lets out a soft chuckle as he sinks back into his pillows, "What did I do to deserve this?"

"I just thought you could use a nice Saturday morning wakeup call," Sharon says with a teasing tone as she strokes him, "And I know I've hardly been approachable lately…so I thought I'd make it up to you."

"You don't have to do that," Andy says, letting out a breath as her thumb strokes over his head.

"I want to," Sharon murmurs. She leans down and captures his lips in a kiss before starting to move her lips down his neck and chest. Andy groans as he feels her mouth close around him, tangling his fingers in her hair. His soft grunts and groans fill the bedroom as her mouth moves over him, sucking and teasing as her fingers trail through his chest hair.

Andy grabs her hand in his as he feels his muscles tighten and she turns her own hand over, squeezing him as she takes in his entire length. He growls her name and arches his hips up as he cums. Sharon pulls away and swallows as she presses soft kisses against the softening flesh before pulling his pajama pants back up. She presses a light kiss to his lips before standing up from the bed.

"Don't let your breakfast get cold," She says with a grin as her tongue swipes over her bottom lip before she leaves the bedroom to check on the kids.

Later in the morning they find themselves at a simple mall department store, even after Andy's insistence they could go somewhere nicer like the Grove. Sharon slips the black heels onto her feet before standing up and looking in the mirror. She rolls her jeans up and turns to the side.

"What do you think?" Sharon asks Andy, looking over at him as he sits in one of the chairs of the shoe department with Emily on his lap, Ricky asleep in his stroller.

"They look nice," Andy says as his eyes scan up her legs to her backside before catching her eyes. He smiles and winks at her and Sharon rolls her eyes before shaking her head with a smile. She takes the shoes off and puts them back in the box before adding them to the couple other boxes sitting next to the floor by Andy.

"You sure you don't mind?" Sharon asks again.

"I said whatever you want and I meant whatever you want," Andy replies, bouncing Emily.

"Okay," Sharon nods. She tries on a couple pairs of loafers before adding a pair to the pile as well, loading them into the cart, "I think that should do it. Um, do you want to take the two of them to the kids section? Emily needs some thicker tights for school. I was going to go to intimates real quick and then I can meet you in Women's? Half hour tops?"

"Oh sure, I don't get to come to intimates," Andy teases. Sharon laughs and kisses him as he stands up.

"You'll probably get to see them later if you're a good boy," She whispers with a smile before looking down at Emily, "Daddy's going to take you to get some tights for school. They need to be white or navy, I don't need Sister Margaret calling me again because you wore pink ones."

"I knowwww," Emily grumbles, holding onto Andy's hand as they take off towards the kids section. Sharon makes her way over to the intimates section, flagging down one of the department people to get measured. She grabs a couple styles and tries them on before picking out a couple colors in each and grabbing matching underwear to go with them. She starts making her way to meet Andy and the kids in the women's section when a set on a mannequin catches her eye.

Sharon flips through the rack slowly after looking over her shoulder to make sure Andy was still occupied with the kids. She plucks her size off the back of the rack and grabs the matching bottom before heading over to the register, she puts the two items up on the counter and pays for them, thanking the woman as she hands the bag over. She makes her way over to the women's section and smiles at Andy as she puts the few items into the cart, noticing they had managed to find a few pairs of tights for Emily along with a sparkling navy blue scrunchy.

"Mommy, look what Daddy let me pick out," Emily says, holding up the scrunchy for Sharon to see closer.

"It's pretty," Sharon smiles, "And it even goes with your uniform."

"Will you do my hair with it on Monday?"

"I sure will," Sharon says.

"Mama," Ricky pipes up from his stroller, letting out a big yawn as he wakes up from his nap.

"Hey there handsome," Sharon says as she leans down and lifts him out of the stroller, pressing a kiss to his cheek, "Did you have a good nap?"

"Mmm seepy," Ricky mumbles as he lays his head on her shoulder. Sharon rests her nose against his head for a moment before starting to look around at clothes. Eventually Ricky wiggles to be put down, toddling around the racks and giggling as Emily hides herself in them and pops out to surprise him. Sharon shushes them when they start getting too loud.

"Mimi funny," Ricky says.

"I know but you need to use your inside voice," Sharon reminds him. She picks out a few dresses, aiming for modest cuts and lengths, before moving on and getting a few shirts and a few new bottoms.

"Anything else?" Andy asks as he leans against the cart.

"I don't think so," Sharon shakes her head with a small smile before looking at her watch, "Why don't we grab lunch on the way home? I'll buy."

"You sure?"

"Yeah we don't get too many chances to go out," Sharon says as she gathers Ricky and puts him back into his stroller before they make their way towards the main checkout. Andy takes her hand in his and threads their fingers together, squeezing gently. She smiles and squeezes back, winking at him.

"Sure, that works for me," Andy agrees as the four of them get in line. Sharon lets out a content sigh and looks around the store as they wait. She spots a mother in one of the other lines lean down and lift a tiny baby out of the stroller in front of her. Her gaze goes from curious to longing as the little girl curls up into her mother and opens her tiny mouth in a wide yawn. She couldn't be any older than a few weeks and had a dusting of white blonde hair on top of her head. Andy looks over after saying a few things and not getting any response, following Sharon's gaze across the aisle. He tugs on her hand to get her attention, arching his eyebrow as her eyes snap to his before she looks away just as quickly.

"Sorry did you say something?" Sharon asks as she steps forward and starts to put the clothes on the counter.

"I asked where you wanted to go for lunch," Andy reiterates, "There's that diner down just a couple blocks, we could go there."

"Sure, that sounds fine," She says as she adds the shoe boxes to the end of their purchases. Andy releases her hand and rests it on her back.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, fine," Sharon nods offering him a weakly reassuring smile. The cashier rings everything up and Andy hands over his credit card as Sharon hands Emily the bag with her tights and scrunchy before taking the other bags of her things. Andy signs the receipt and hands it back before taking his copy and putting it in his pocket with his wallet.

"You are not a cheap date," Andy teases as he puts the cart back before taking the bags from Sharon so she could push Ricky's stroller.

"Andy you really didn't have to..."

"I'm joking," Andy says, nudging her shoulder with his, "I'd spend a thousand times what I spent today to keep you in heels and skirts."

"You are such a flirt," Sharon says as she turns to head towards the parking garage they had parked in.

"That's my middle name," Andy grins, "Why don't we drop this stuff off at the car and we can walk to lunch?"

"Sure, if you're up for it," Sharon agrees. They quickly find Sharon's car in the garage and lock everything in the trunk before heading towards the diner they had agreed upon earlier. Andy waits until they're out on the sidewalk before speaking.

"I thought you didn't want anymore kids," He says, referring to her moment in the store and the conversation they'd had when they officially had gotten together.

"Want doesn't have anything to do with it," Sharon says after opening and closing her mouth a few times.

"What does?"

"Money!" Sharon practically exclaims, drawing the eyes of a couple onlookers before she lowers her volume, "The only thing any of this has ever been about. I always wanted a lot of kids, I didn't expect that Jack and I would be married for five years and never get pregnant. Emily was a dream, I thought we were on the right path, but well…it wasn't our path but yours and mine. What if Ricky was the last one? The four of them can be _and are_ enough."

"But if we had the money you would want more," Andy clarifies.

"Of course," Sharon says quietly, reaching down and running her fingers through Ricky's hair, "I love the kids. I love being a mom. I loved being pregnant. I love the whole thing, Andy…of course I want more."

"Then tell me that," Andy says, a little exasperation leaking into his voice, "I'd rather revisit this conversation once a year than never have it again and in 13 years we're sending the kids off to college wondering what if. I missed out on a lot not being with you when you were pregnant, that not being my position to be with you. So if in two, three, four years we have this conversation and we think we're okay…I wanna do that."

* * *

[TBC]


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes:** Thanks for all of the great reviews for the last chapter! I'm glad everyone is still enjoying. And thanks to my guests who review as well since I'm not able to thank you personally :) I apologize for the wait, this week I am advocating against salaried full time jobs that make you work overtime :(

Also, I mentioned that the convention Sharon was being invited to attend was in Houston previously. But a plot bunny bit me in the leg and I am moving it to New York, I apologize for any confusion, but I think you will enjoy where we end up going.

As always, please read, enjoy, and review :)

* * *

Fall melted way into winter and Thanksgiving came and went in quiet fashion. Emily spent the majority of December bouncing off the walls as her recital drew closer. Sharon and Andy watched on as she danced across the stage as one of the Polichinelles. Andy was happy to see Sharon's wide smile as she unabashedly held their camcorder up to record the short performance as he successfully managed to catch Ricky's attention and stop him from yelling out at his sister.

After celebrating an early Christmas with Nicole and Charlie, a couple days later Lily was dropped off at the kennel and they were on their way to Park City for their first Christmas at her parent's new condo. They had loaded Emily and Ricky into the back seat in warmer clothes, stuffing their coats into the trunk along with their bags. The kids slept most of the way to Utah, waking up when they pulled off the road for a lunch break just inside state lines. After a quick lunch and taking a moment to call Sharon's parents they hit the road again, making their way up into the mountains.

Emily's face was pressed against the glass as they started to drive through snow, her brown eyes wide as her breath fogged up the cold glass. Having spent a couple winters in Connecticut with her grandparents Emily immediately threw on her coat once they got to the condo and started playing in the snow. Ricky however was more wary of the white fluff and promptly burst into tears when Sharon set him down to grab her suitcase.

During their trip Emily was eager to get out on the slopes, taking quite easily to zooming down the bunny hill at quick speeds that terrified her mother. Even after some encouragement, Ricky was not warming up to the cold weather and spent most of his time in the condo with his grandparents, being thoroughly spoiled. In the afternoons Emily was sent back to the condo to warm up for a while as Sharon took Andy down some of the more advanced slopes.

"Oh shit!" Sharon yells as her ski clips a chunk of ice before taking her down and forcing her to slide the rest of the way down the hill on her back. Andy yells after her and navigates his way across the run to her until she slides to a stop at the end.

"Sharon?!" Andy calls out as he slides over, breathing a sigh of relief as he hears her laughing before she pushes herself to sit up. She shoves her goggles up her face and grins up at him as she continues to chuckle, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Sharon says as she pops her feet out of her skis before taking Andy's hand and pulling herself up, wincing slightly as she puts weight on her ankle.

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I think I just tweaked my ankle a little bit," Sharon says as she reaches down and picks up her skis, noticing that the front was snapped off of the one that had caught the ice chunk, "Guessing we should probably catch the lift here."

"Probably," Andy says, looking at his watch before following her over to the lift, "It's close to dinner time anyway, we can drop your skis off and head into the condo?"

"Sure," Sharon nods as they get in line. When they get to the front she shows the lift operator her busted ski so she can get a little help getting on the lift, climbing in next to Andy before looking down as they climb the mountain. She looks out over the runs before turning her head when Andy squeezes her hand, letting out a surprised sound as he captures her lips. She hums as she melts into his mouth, kissing him back. Andy pulls back after a few moments and presses a kiss to her red nose.

"I love you."

"I love you too," Sharon smiles.

"I'm going to miss you next week."

"I know," Sharon murmurs, pressing another kiss to his lips, "It's going to be a long week. You sure you'll be okay with the kids?"

"We'll be fine," Andy nods. Sharon was leaving the next day to fly to New York in order to attend the conference that her Commander had invited her to go along for. She was out of town from Sunday to Friday, getting back late that night. It was the most time she'd spent away from the kids, and the longest Andy had ever taken care of them alone.

"Why don't we take them into town tomorrow before we head to Salt Lake?" Sharon suggests, "There is a cute little soda shop we could get lunch at and they always decorate the town for the holidays."

"Sure," Andy agrees. He presses a kiss to her forehead and rests a hand on her leg, "I've had a good time this week…"

"I have too," Sharon smiles, resting her head against his shoulder, "It's been nice to get away for a while."

"It has," Andy murmurs, resting his head against hers. They pull apart as they get closer to the drop off, hopping off the lift when it's their turn. Andy kicks off his skis and picks them up before walking over to the shop with Sharon to drop hers off. She apologizes as she puts them up on the counter, explaining what had happened before shaking her head when they asked if she needed a replacement pair. Andy puts in his skis as well before taking Sharon's hand as they head back to the condo. By the time they get back Andy notices Sharon limping and leaning into him, "You should probably get that looked at."

"I'm sure it's fine, I'll ice it when we get inside," Sharon says. Andy opens the door and holds it open for her before stepping in himself.

"Mama!" Ricky exclaims over his grandmother's greeting, getting up from his spot on the floor in front of the fireplace and rushing over to Sharon.

"Hi sweet pea," Sharon smiles as she shrugs out of her ski coat as Ricky reaches up to her open and closing his hands.

"Up!"

"Let Mama take her boots and pants off," Sharon says, reaching down to undo the clasps on her boots. She gets them undone and off before taking her ski pants off, leaving her in a pair of thick leggings. She leans down, picking Ricky up and kissing his cheek, "Ooh, you are hot stuff from sitting in front of that fire."

"Mama," Ricky says again as he wraps his arm around Sharon's neck, tangling his tiny fingers in her ponytail. She makes her way over to one of the arm chairs, sinking down in it before putting her feet up. Ricky settles on her lap and she leans forward, pulling her leggings up and her sock down to get a look at her ankle. It wasn't swollen or bruised, only aching. Hopefully it would feel better by the time she got to New York.

"Did you hurt yourself?" Mary asks, getting up from her spot on the couch and walking over to Sharon.

"I fell on our last run, there was a giant chunk of ice that one of my skis hit," Sharon says, "I think it's just sore."

"Let me get you some ice," Andy says after taking his own gear off. He goes into the kitchen and puts some ice in a bag before wrapping it up and bringing it out to Sharon. He lays it over her ankle after putting it up on a pillow, "Okay?"

"Mmhm," Sharon nods with a smile. Andy presses a kiss to the side of her head before nodding towards the stairs.

"I'm going to go take a shower, you okay?"

"Yes, thank you," Sharon says, watching him off before looking at her mom, "Where's Dad and Em?"

"They went on a walk," Mary says as she sits back down on the couch, closer to where Sharon was sitting, "Ricky was taking a nap when they left so we stayed behind."

"You took a nap!?" Sharon says as she looks at Ricky, jiggling him as he lays across her chest. The little boy giggles as he bounces, looking up at his mother, "You're a lucky boy getting to take a nap."

"When are you guys thinking about leaving tomorrow?"

"I think we'll stay for breakfast. Andy and I had talked about taking the kids into town for a little while, getting lunch before we head over to Salt Lake," Sharon says, rubbing her hand up and down Ricky's back as she snuggles him close, "My flight leaves around 530 and I'll get there around midnight. After Andy drops me off at the airport he's driving home with the kids."

"That's such a long drive, is he going to be okay making that himself?"

"He drove most of the way here," Sharon shrugs, "He'll stop if he gets tired. I'm hoping next time we'll be able to fly. The drive is nice, but it's a lot with the kids."

"I'm sure," Mary says, "I remember when we used to drive with you and Will to go see Nana and Papa."

"Oh my god, most boring drive of my life," Sharon declares referring to the long drives they used to make every summer to go visit her maternal grandparents who lived in Norfolk, Virginia. The drives were brightened up by a stop in Washington but most of the time was spent on quiet rural highways without air conditioning and her brother being very irritating.

"Even more boring than the drive here?"

"If not boring, definitely irritating," Sharon grins, "Emily and Ricky slept the whole way here, all Will used to do was torment me the whole way."

"He did not."

"Yes he did!" Sharon insists, "He was terrible when we were stuck in the car together more than 20 minutes."

Mary rolls her eyes and turns her attention to the tv that had the local news coming on. Sharon sighs softly and settles back into the chair, resting her nose against Ricky's head and pressing a kiss to his temple. By the time Andy comes downstairs freshly showered, Bill and Emily were just getting back from their walk. The little girl hands her coat to her grandfather to hang up before kicking off her pink snow boots and running over to Andy. He catches her as she jumps at him, pressing a kiss to her chilly wind blown cheek.

The six of them eat dinner with each other and sit in front of the fire for a while, watching TV as they enjoy their last night in the condo. Andy tucks both of the kids into bed in the room across from his and Sharon's, turning the light off before pulling the door closed most of the way. He bids Bill and Mary good night before heading into the room he and Sharon had been sharing. She steps in from the bathroom a moment later, dressed in a nightgown and robe with damp curls hanging around her shoulders. She gingerly shuffles across the floor to bed before hanging her robe over the footboard and climbing into her side.

"Your ankle still bothering you?" Andy asks as he shuts the door before tugging off his t-shirt and jeans. He climbs into bed next to her, slipping under the blankets. Sharon shakes her head as she shuffles closer.

"Not a lot, I'm sure it will be fine in the morning," Sharon says as she runs her hand up Andy's chest, laying propped up on her side, "If it's still achy I'll wrap it then."

"Okay," Andy nods, capturing her lips in a soft kiss. Sharon hums and kisses him back hungrily, her arm slipping to wrap around him as she pulls her body closer. His hand skims up the back of her thigh and cups the globe of her bottom in his hand, pulling her closer with a firm squeeze. Sharon pulls back with a gasp, resting her forehead against Andy's chin.

"We really shouldn't," She whispers, swallowing as she feels a flush bloom over her body. Andy's fingers slip further between her legs, finding her already wet.

"I have plans to be quiet if you do," Andy murmurs, teasingly rubbing his fingers against her. Sharon gasps softly, arching into his touch. He flips her onto her back and presses his lips to her neck as his body easily fits between her thighs. Sharon hums and arches her back as his fingertips smooth over her skin, pushing her nightgown up. His lips dip down to the v of her nightgown before he moves down to her stomach, ghosting over the soft skin as he pulls her underwear down and off.

Sharon's mouth drops open in a silent moan as his mouth moves over her, tongue dipping into her core to taste her. Her fingers easily tangle in his dark hair and she clutches him closer, letting the fire lick its way through her nerve endings. She had fended him off for a while, letting him go a little further each time as she got used to his mouth. As her neck arches her eyes slip closed and she whispers his name quietly, rocking her hips up against him. She had no desire to push him away this time.

Andy's palm smoothes over her stomach and she gasps as she feels his thumb rub over her clit. He easily works his finger and mouth in conjunction, easing more gasps and tugs out of her as she rock her hips more frequently. He hears her nails scrape against the headboard as she arches her back at a sharp angle and pulls him close, her juices flooding his mouth as her orgasm shoots through her nerve endings. He lazily cleans her up with his tongue before pressing his lips along her c-section scar and resting his head on her hip, her scent still flooding his nostrils.

Sharon releases her hold on his hair and smoothes her fingers through the thick locks as she pants softly, sinking into the bed like jello. Her leg easily tucks around Andy's body, lazily hugging him closer as she shivers, feeling Andy's fingers stroke over her scar again.

"Marry me," He whispers, shifting his eyes to look up at her.

* * *

[TBC]


	7. Chapter 7

**Note:** Sorry for the cliffy - but look, a new chapter!

* * *

Sharon's breath hitches as she processes his words. Her fingers still in his hair and her eyes open as she shifts to sit up a bit so she could look at him. Her fingertips shift down his face, stroking over his cheek as she stares into his dark eyes. There was a softness about them that made her heart pound in a different way than his words did.

"I…" She opens her mouth to speak before clamping it shut again and swallowing hard. Her eyes blink rapidly, trying to stave off the tears pooling, "I want to say yes…of course I want to say yes…"

"But you're not?" Andy inquires, his brow raising.

"I don't have the right to…" Sharon whispers, "Andy, for all intents and purposes I am _still_ married in the eyes of the Catholic Church. How can I tell you yes when I can't ever actually marry you?"

"Sharon…"

"That's my faith. You know how important it is to me," Sharon says.

"It also says that we're not supposed to live together…and we're definitely not supposed to do what we just did," Andy argues.

"I know," Sharon nods, lifting her hand to wipe a tear from her cheek, "Why do you think I spend so long at confession every Sunday? _Bless me Father for I have sinned…_ I live with, sleep with, and use birth control with a man that is not my husband…throw a couple lies in there and taking the Lord's name in vain that's every week…"

"I didn't realize it was such an inconvenience," Andy grumbles moving to sit up.

"Andy that's not what I meant," Sharon says as she pushes herself into a proper sitting position and pushes her nightgown down. She leans up on her knees and sighs as she grabs his hand, pulling him closer, "Come here…"

"No," Andy mumbles petulantly forcing Sharon to stop herself from laughing. Emily was a frequent flyer of that tone and look on her face.

"Andrew," Sharon says in a deeper tone, pulling on his hand again. She settles on his lap and presses her lips to his in a soft kiss. Her thumb strokes over his brow and she cups his cheek in her hand, "I love you so so so much. And I would drag you down to the church right now if I could. So I'll say yes…I would love to marry you, I just don't know when that would happen. I feel terrible making you wait for something that might not…"

"My mom told me this story once when I was a kid," Andy interrupts. His hand curves around her hip as he holds her close, taking her hand in his with his free one, "I had asked her why she married my dad. Everyone on her side of the family was Italian, my uncles always gave my dad shit for being Irish. They weren't mean, but they were always…you know?"

"Yeah," Sharon nods.

"And she told me this story that her grandfather had told her about the Greeks after her and my dad got married. That the original humans had four arms, four legs, a head with two faces, and one soul. And the humans were growing stronger and stronger every day and threatened the gods. So the gods had a problem, they needed to teach the humans a lesson, but they thrived on their tributes. Zeus, the problem solver that he is, came up with a solution," Sharon laughs and smiles as he talks, "He split all of the humans in half. Two arms, two legs, one face, and half a soul. They were forced to wander the Earth longing for their other half…"

"And when they find each other there is an unspoken understanding, they feel unified and would lie with each other in unity and would know no greater joy than that," Sharon finishes, "It's from Plato's Symposium, it was most likely intended to be satire on why people always said they felt whole when they were in love…I read it in college."

"I feel whole around you," Andy says, reaching up to stroke her cheek, "You're my joy. And I will always wait for you…"

"Andy," Sharon whispers, lifting her hand to cover his. She turns her head and presses her lips to his palm as she squeezes her eyes closed.

"Just say yes…we can worry about the when later."

"Yes," Sharon says, opening her eyes and looking at Andy. She leans down and captures his lips with hers, cupping his face in her hands. She presses a few soft kisses to his mouth and smiles at him, "I love you."

"I love you too," Andy smiles, "Celebrate?"

"You and that mouth Mr. Flynn," Sharon shakes her head with a laugh covering his mouth with her hand and pushing him back to the bed.

The next morning they pack up the kids and the car, saying goodbye to Sharon's parents before heading into town. They spend most of the morning wandering around before getting lunch at the soda bar that Sharon had mentioned. They make their way to Salt Lake and take in a few sights before dropping Sharon off at the airport. She hugs the kids close and tight before tucking them back into the back seat and wrapping her arms around Andy.

He hugs her close and presses a kiss to her head as he reminds her to call and leave a message when she gets to New York. Sharon nods and leans up on her toes, pressing a deep kiss to his lips before grabbing her bag and heading inside. She grabs a soda and bag of chips from the convenience store before going to board her flight. Settled in a window seat she spends the flight reading, only closing her book when they make the descent announcement.

Once she unloads from the plane she makes her way to the taxi lane, hailing a cab and giving him the name of her hotel. The travel coordinator had booked them rooms at a Hilton in MidTown and Commander Robbins was supposed to have arrived earlier in the day. The first event was a welcome breakfast the next morning and then various sessions throughout the week. She was generally going to have her evenings to herself and already had a couple plans with some friends from college that she hadn't seen in a while.

The cab pulls up in front of the hotel and she thanks him as she hands over a few bills to cover the fare before getting out and pulling her bag inside behind her. She makes her way to the front desk and gives her name to the clerk.

"Alright Ms. O'Dwyer…we've got you booked into a room on the fifth floor next door to your travel companion. Payment has been taken care of I just need a card for incidentals," The young man explains.

"Sure," Sharon nods opening her wallet before pulling out her actual credit card and handing it over.

"Alright, I just need you to sign a couple things and then I can send you on your way," He says after grabbing a couple things off the printer and putting them on the desk top. Sharon looks them over before scribbling her signature on the bottom of each sheet. The clerk goes to grab the keys to her room, also grabbing a couple small envelopes from the adjoining cubby, "Here are your keys, and it looks like you already have a couple messages, elevators are around the corner, did you need any help with your bags?"

"No I'll be fine," Sharon says with a smile, thanking him before heading towards the elevator. She tucks the keys into her pocket as she opens the messages. The first one was from the Commander, letting her know that he arrived and would meet her in the lobby at seven the next morning to head over to the convention center. She tucks the message into her back pocket before opening the other. Her brow furrows as she reads it over a couple times. _Come to dinner Weds night, 6pm. Take the blue to the orange and get off at 71st St._ After the initial instructions there was an address and a phone number, all sealed with a cursive C at the end.

Sharon jumps as the elevator dings before leaving and heading towards her room. She unlocks the door and steps in, wrinkling her nose as the smell of stale smoke assaults her nose. She knew Robbins smoked but she'd hoped for a non smoking room herself. She opens the window to let the air cycle a bit before sitting down on the bed and grabbing the phone. She calls the house number and waits for the answering machine to pick up before leaving a message.

"Hey it's me, I just got to the hotel. I start at 7 tomorrow morning so I'll try to call a little later when I get a break. Let me know when you guys get home. I love you all and I miss you already," Sharon says before hanging up the phone and going to unload her clothes. She hangs up all of her business items before getting out her toiletry kit and pajamas. She takes a few minutes to go through her bedtime routine, shortening it since she hadn't put on much makeup that morning.

As she leaves the bathroom she deposits her dirty clothes into the provided bag and dresses in the large t-shirt she had pulled out earlier. Sharon brings the fabric to her face and inhales Andy's scent before closing the window and climbing into bed. She reaches up out and props the mysterious message up against the phone, pledging to call the number in the morning before shutting off the light.

The next morning Sharon wakes early enough to get through her routine before tucking the mystery message into her pocket and heading down to the lobby. She stops by the front desk and collects a message from Andy that had been left in the middle of the night. She smiles as she reads it over before looking up when she hears the Commander call her name. The note gets tucked into her pocket along with the other one as she walks over to him, bidding him a good morning before following him outside.

She finds herself with a break after breakfast, heading over to a pay phone before pulling out the mystery message and putting the coins in. She dials the number and waits as the line rings through a few times before it's picked up.

"Hello?" Sharon hears a female voice filter down the line.

"Hi, I got a message with this number on it left for me at my hotel and I wasn't sure who left it," Sharon starts.

"The famous Sharon O'Dwyer," The voice comments, "I've heard a lot about you from my son, from my grandchildren, well some of my grandchildren. Since apparently I have two that I've never met."

"Mrs. Flynn," Sharon says after a moment of processing, closing her eyes, "Andy told you I was going to be in town."

"He mentioned it a few weeks ago. I thought it would be a good chance for you to come by and meet the family," She says, "I hope Wednesday works for you."

"Wednesday is fine," Sharon says with a nod, "Is there anything that I can bring? Obviously I can't cook anything but I could stop by a bakery or a store."

"Just yourself is all that we need."

"Okay. I will see you Wednesday night then," Sharon says, looking over as she notices a line building up for the phones.

"See you Wednesday," Sharon hangs up after she hears the click on the other end before checking her watch and adding more coins to dial the house. She doesn't give Andy a moment to speak before she whispers furiously down the line, "Your mother is demanding my presence at dinner this week!"

"Good morning to you too," Andy says after returning the phone to his ear.

"How did she even know where I was staying?"

"I told her you were going to the convention and that they were putting you up in MidTown as an excuse that it would probably be too out of your way to go to dinner."

"Well instead of asking it's basically a non-request now," Sharon says taking a deep breath before letting it out, "Andy, I can _not_ face your family on my own."

"It's not like I can fly out there for dinner," Andy says and she hears the clank of dishes in the background and Emily yelling at Ricky to get his fingers out of her cereal, "You will be fine. Look, call me Tuesday night I'll give you a refresher and you'll be good to go."

"She said I didn't need to bring anything."

"Bring at least a bottle of wine, red," Andy warns her, "How's the conference?"

"We just got done with breakfast and I have a session starting soon. I should go find the room. I'm calling you later, we're not done talking about this."

"I'm sure. I love you, have a good day."

"Have a good day, Mommy!" Emily yells in the background.

"Mama!"

"I love you too," Sharon murmurs with a sigh and an ache in her chest before hanging up the phone and stuffing the message back into her pocket.

* * *

[TBC]


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes:** Thanks for hanging on for the dinner, I hope I did it justice. Also still bemoaning the overtime thing, but rejoice! I'm on vacation for the next week and fully plan to crank out a little more frequently. As always, please read, review, and enjoy.

* * *

Sharon sighs as she climbs out of the cab in southwest Brooklyn, turning around to pay the cabbie before looking at the house before her. It was a simple brick row house wedged in between an entire block of row houses. It didn't have a front yard, but there was a small gated off area where a few trashcans and a couple bikes were locked up. She could see the lights on and people moving about the house through the front bay window. It looked exactly like she had pictured when Andy had told her about it.

Her fingers wrap tighter around the neck of the bottle of wine in her hand before she climbs the stairs wincing with every step. It was only Wednesday and she was ready to count this off as the worst week of her life. She wasn't doing well with leaving the kids, especially for a conference where she had been catcalled and sneered at within an inch of her life. And then that morning while walking down 53rd street her heel had caught in a grate on the sidewalk, pulling on her already injured ankle painfully and making her twist it even more.

She'd made it through the first couple sessions of the day before leaving a little before lunch to go to the emergency room and have them look at it. After a few hours and a couple x-rays she'd been sent home in a boot with some mild pain killers and told not to walk on it too much. So instead of taking the subway over like had been noted on her message from Andy's mom, she'd ended up having to splurge on a cab.

Sharon bites her lip before lifting her hand and knocking on the door. Her eyes widen a fraction when it's immediately pulled open before an apprehensive smile spreads over her lips as she looks at the bubbly brunette on the other side of the door. From what she could recall from the few pictures of his family she had seen she was taking a guess that this was Katherine.

"Sharon?"

"Yeah," Sharon nods, her smile transforming from apprehensive to a little warmer, "Katherine?"

"Kate, please," Kate corrects, opening the door wider for her to step inside. The door opened up into a small entryway, similar to how her own house was set up. There was a table and coatrack inside the door, pictures littering the table instead of the decorative key bowl and vase they had. Sharon could hear murmurs of conversations in the living room and kitchen, "My little brother is the only one that still insists on calling me by my full name. Did you find the place okay?"

"Yeah I ended up taking a cab," Sharon says, thanking Kate as she takes her coat from her before hanging it up. Sharon turns and hangs her purse on the same hook as well when Kate finally looks down and notices the boot on Sharon's foot.

"Oh no! What happened?"

"We went skiing at my parents' new timeshare and I fell the other day going down a run. It hurt a bit but wasn't too bad, but I tripped earlier today and made it worse," Sharon shakes her head as she looks down at the boot on her foot, "It's been a long week already. I am definitely ready to go home."

"You should have called we could have had someone come pick you up."

"It's fine," Sharon waves her off with a smile.

"Well I've been trying to talk them off the ledge a little bit," Kate says as she walks Sharon further into the house, "Honestly the girls and I aren't too terrible. It's cliche, but my mother still considers Andy her little boy. She says he takes after our father a little bit too much. And she worries about him."

"That can't be too terrible can it?" Sharon asks.

"Dad had a bit of a drinking problem for a while," Kate answers, "He wasn't a stranger to the occasional indiscretion either. Not that Andy is a womanizer, but you know..."

"Yeah, I do," Sharon says offering a small, sad smile.

"Let me take you to the kitchen, Mom is almost done with dinner," Kate says, cruising Sharon past the living room and into the kitchen. Contessa "Connie" Flynn was standing at the stove stirring a pot of sauce that was on the front burner as pasta bubbled away in two pots on the back ones. There was already a salad and bread laid out on the large dining room table on the other end of the open room, place settings already set out as well.

Sharon's eyes quickly scan the kitchen before landing back on Connie. The matriarch of the Flynn family was taller than she expected. She'd assumed that Andy had gotten his height from his father, but his mother stood a good couple inches over her as well. She was dressed in a deep maroon dress that brushed past her knees with small white polka dots all over the fabric. Her hair was pinned away from her face in a low bun, the black locks tinted lighter with streaks of grey running through them as a few stray curls drooped in front of her face. There was a cross hanging from her neck, very similar to the one from Andy she was wearing herself.

"Mama," Kate says as she walks over and puts a hand on her mother's shoulder, "Sharon's here."

"Go tell everyone to get ready for dinner," Connie replies, smiling at her daughter before turning her attention to Sharon, "I'm glad you were able to make it. And you brought wine too."

"Andy mentioned it was your favorite," Sharon says as she sets the bottle on the counter, "I figured I could at least bring something."

"It's very nice of you," Connie says as she takes a look at the label before turning off all of the burners and lifting one of the pots to drain, "What did you do to your foot?"

"Apparently this has been my week for clumsiness. I had an accident skiing on Sunday and I tripped earlier today so I finally went to the doctor and they gave me this."

"Take a seat, you don't have to stand," Connie nods towards the table. Sharon hesitates for a moment before she steps over and pulls one of the chairs out, sitting down. Connie gets the pasta drained out and loads it into a large bowl before spooning sauce over the top and starting to mix it, "Andy says you work with him."

"Yes," Sharon nods, "We work in different departments, but yeah, I've been with the LAPD for a little over 10 years."

"How did you two meet?" Connie inquires.

"Ah…at a bar," Sharon says as she looks down, "I had gone out for a drink with my partner and Andy was out with some friends of his from work. We got to talking…football initially, surprising enough. We just kind of hit it off."

"Andy can be quite the charmer when he wants to be," Connie comments as she transfers the pasta over to a serving bowl before bringing it over to the table, "Sometimes, I'd say its one of the less than admirable features he inherited from his father."

"When exactly did he mention me for the first time?" Sharon asks as she shifts out of the way.

"I heard your name here and there over the years, generally when he would talk about work," Connie describes, leaning against the counter as she wipes her hands off a kitchen towel, "He never mentioned your relationship until recently, I didn't know about Emily and Ricky until…six months ago or so."

"I'm sorry," Sharon frowns, "I…I assumed he told you."

"He feels guilty," Connie shrugs, "He feels guilty that he's made terrible decisions in his life just like his father. Andy always swore he was never going to turn out like Patrick."

"He never talks about his dad," Sharon says.

"He wouldn't," Connie says cryptically before calling everyone in for dinner. Sharon scoots further into the table and pays attention as Connie points everyone out to her as they fill in around the table. She could easily pick out his sisters, the four of them looked almost exactly like their brother, tall, dark hair, dark eyes. Spouses were introduced along with the kids and Sharon could see why such a large table would be needed. The kids get sat at their own table, the only one joining the adults being the young baby boy in Sophia's arms. The parents quickly making plates for the little ones before sitting down at the larger table.

"How old is he?" Sharon asks as Sophia takes a seat next to her, her husband on the other side.

"Just a couple months. Mom said you and Andy have two?"

"Yeah," Sharon nods smiling as the baby throws her a wide grin. She could have sworn she was looking at a carbon copy of Ricky, "Emily just turned five in August and Ricky is one and a half."

"Do you have pictures?"

"A couple in my purse, I can get them out after dinner," Sharon offers, before looking across the table at Connie, "Has Andy sent you any?"

"No," Connie shakes her head. Sharon rolls her eyes before shaking her head.

"I have plenty of extras at home, I'll send some over when I get back," Sharon assures her, thanking Allegra as she passes the bowl to her. She spoons some of the pasta out onto her plate before passing it along. Most of dinner is spent with the rest of the family quizzing her about herself. _Where are you from? What do you do? Where did you go to school?_

By the end of it all Sharon wasn't sure she'd had such a thorough background check in her life, even when she had initially applied to the LAPD. After dinner Sharon makes her way to the coatrack to grab her purse, getting her wallet out before pulling out the few pictures she had of Emily and Ricky. She brings them back to the kitchen, wincing as her ankle throbs before taking a seat at the table. She hands the pictures across to Connie before settling in her seat and taking a sip of her wine.

"That's what I have with me," She says, "The top one is just from the Christmas we had with Nicole and Charlie."

"They're adorable," Connie comments, looking through the pictures and handing them off to her daughters to look at, "I see Andy but I see a lot of you too."

"Emily definitely takes after him with her temper sometimes," Sharon comments with a smile.

"She does ballet?" Maggie comments as she looks at the picture from Emily's recent dance recital.

"Yes, she's been taking lessons since around the time that Ricky was born," Sharon tells them, her insides relaxing for the first time since she'd gotten there, "She loves it. Takes to it like a fish to water."

"So Emily's in kindergarten and Ricky is..."

"They both go to St. Joseph's. Ricky goes to the day care, Emily goes to the school. Em went there for preschool and day care as well. It's just a few blocks down from the station, so it's easy to drop them off and pick them up. Sometimes Andy goes down over his lunch if he's working late," Sharon says with a small shrug and a smile. She spends a little bit of time talking about the kids before the girls begin to excuse themselves for the evening. Soon she finds herself alone in the kitchen with Connie staring into the bottom of a glass of red wine. She takes a sip and lets the liquid roll over her tongue, she couldn't deny that her boyfriend's mother had good taste in wine, it was definitely one of the better reds that she had tasted.

"I'm not going to yell at you," Connie says as she clears the table, stacking the dishes into the sink before starting to box up left overs.

"I didn't think you were," Sharon says as she finishes the wine in the glass before pushing herself up from her chair and pushing it in. She winces as she puts weight on her ankle, leaning over to her other leg with a sigh as she walks over to the sink, setting her glass with the other dishes before starting the water. She soaps up a sponge and starts to wash as she talks, "We know that what we did, how we went about things wasn't the greatest. I'm sorry that Andy didn't say anything to you until recently. I'd just assumed that you were upset with him."

"Now I am," Connie laughs as she puts food into the fridge, "It's the guilt isn't it? Just sitting there in the back of your mind all the time."

"It never goes away," Sharon says as she works, putting the rinsed dishes in the dryer.

"No it doesn't, just gets quieter over time," Connie says as she steps up next to the red-head, helping her work through the dishes, "When Andy's father started drinking even though he was the youngest, he was the only boy. He always made sure to protect me and his sisters. I always wonder if he wouldn't have fallen down the same path as Patrick if I had just taken them and left."

"People didn't do that then...lot of places they still don't."

"That's why Andy never talks about him," Connie shrugs and sighs as they finish washing the dishes. Sharon rinses her hands off and dries them on a towel, "I'm glad you came tonight, no matter how hard my son tried to make sure it didn't happen."

"I will talk to him when I get home," Sharon says with a laugh and a shake of her head, "Maybe we can bring the kids out this summer."

"I'd like that."

* * *

[TBC]


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes:** See this is already an improvement! Thanks to everyone who commented on the last chapter, also hopefully these e-mail notification issues are getting squared away here soon so you're able to get notifications of updates again. Please enjoy!

* * *

Sharon hadn't had a chance to talk to Andy directly since the phone call they had shared Tuesday evening before she went to his mother's. She'd called Friday afternoon and left a message, telling him that the would take a cab home from the airport since their flight had been delayed and she didn't want the kids to be dragged to pick her up that late. By the time she walked in the door that evening it was technically Saturday morning.

Sharon shuts the door quietly behind herself and locks it before kicking her one shoe off and taking her bag to put it by the laundry. She notices the house in a little more disarray than usual but doesn't stop to straighten anything up on her way to the bedroom, figuring she'd get to it in the morning after a long deep sleep wrapped up next to Andy. What she finds in the bedroom cast in the moonlight causes her to pause for a moment.

Andy was squished to the furthest edge of his side of the bed and all four kids, along with the dog, were sprawled out in the open space next to him. They were all dressed in their underwear and undershirts and a fan was blowing on them even though the house was freezing by LA standards. She notes the excessive amount of crumpled tissues and empty juice glasses on both bedside tables and could only guess that all the kids, if not Andy as well, had colds.

Sharon sighs and realizes her bed plans were squandered, not wanting to disturb any of them to find a spot in the loaded bed. She grabs a shirt from Andy's pile and makes her way to the kids' bathroom to change and brush her teeth before going out to the living room and sinking down onto the couch with a sigh. She pulls the blanket down from the back and yawns before closing her eyes and drifting off to sleep.

The next morning she wakes up to a sneeze and feeling spit blow over her face. She wrinkles her nose and reaches up with the blanket to wipe her face off before opening her eyes and finding Ricky standing next to her with sleep tussled hair. He smiles when he sees her eyes open before trying to climb onto the couch with her. She reaches down and wraps an arm around him, tugging him up onto her chest before pressing her lips to his forehead.

"Mmm you are warm," She mumbles, rubbing his back as she snuggles him close, closing her eyes again, "I missed you."

"Miss mama," Ricky mumbles before coughing and rubbing his runny nose on her shirt. Sharon lays with him for a while before she hears the rest of the bedroom full of people starting to rouse.

"Alright, all of you at the table and I'll get you some cold medicine," Andy rumbles from down the hall before coughing himself as he follows the three of them down to the kitchen. Sharon sits up when she hears the feet trudging slowly down the hall, setting Ricky next to her. The kids perk up when they see her rushing over to give her hugs.

"Mommy!"

"What happened?!" Sharon says as her eyes widen when she sees Emily. When she had left them at the airport on Sunday her daughter was in one piece and now she had a purple cast on her arm and a set of stitches above her brow.

"Mimi boom," Ricky giggles.

"I could ask the same," Andy says, pointing to her ankle. Sharon shoots him a narrow eyed look that was generally reserved for people in trouble with FID. Andy sighs and rubs his hand over the back of his head as he stands in the hall between the living room and the kitchen.

"It's been a hell of a week. She had an accident at ballet the other night. I didn't want you to get worried and rush home and miss your session," Andy explains, "She's fine. It's just a simple fracture, the cast comes off in a few weeks and the stitches come out on Monday. Vicky drops Charlie and Nic off after we get back from the hospital, her aunt's not doing well and she needs to go visit her but can't take the kids with. Next morning all four of them have sore throats and fevers. I had to call in the last two days since I couldn't send them to school…and then _I_ started getting sick."

"Andrew…" Sharon sighs and shakes her head before wrapping her arms around Emily and pressing a kiss to her eyebrow, noting that her forehead was also still warm, "Oh my sweet baby. How are you?"

"I'm fine, Mommy," Emily says with a shrug. Sharon hugs her closer for a moment before letting her go and hugging Charlie and Nicole.

"Come on, I think your father mentioned something about cold medicine for the four of you," She says as she stands up from the couch, grabbing Ricky and carrying him to the kitchen. Andy gives the four of them some children's Motrin before taking some medicine himself. Sharon sets Ricky in his high chair before pushing Andy down into one of the chairs and starting to make breakfast for them. She sets down a plate of french toast on the table a little bit later with some cut up fruit, giving everyone a glass of water before sitting down herself, "Don't think you're getting off easy. We're having a long talk about what you've been telling your mother lately, or I suppose haven't been telling her in this case."

Soon after breakfast the kids start to drift off, their medicine kicking in. Andy sets them all up in the big bed before shuffling out to the living room where Sharon was picking up a few things and putting them away. He groans as he sinks down on the couch, his entire body was aching and looking after four kids wasn't helping. Sharon tosses the last of the toys into the bin in the corner of the room and turns to look at Andy with a hand on her hip.

"Six months! You told your mother about them six months ago and you've known for almost two years!" Sharon exclaims quietly, not wanting to wake the kids, "What were you thinking? I thought she hated me for breaking up your marriage, not that she didn't know who I was."

"I didn't…" Andy sighs and drops his head back against the couch, "She was so disappointed in me when I finally admitted that I had a problem and that Vic and I were getting divorced. Like I had turned into my father over night…"

"You are _not_ your father," Sharon cuts him off, "Don't ever think you are your father. Yes you drank, yes your marriage fell apart. But you have never raised a hand to those kids, and you never raised a hand to Vicky."

"Probably did it verbally enough times," Andy says, "I just didn't want to show her I was more like him."

"You're not," Sharon says as she steps closer and sinks down on the couch next to him, "God you're not."

"I just didn't know what to do," Andy says.

"I think it would be good if you called and talked to her and told her a little bit more about them, explain what is going on, maybe let Emily talk to her for a bit. I told her I would send her some pictures once I got back," Sharon says, "I showed them what I had with me."

"I'll do that."

"Today," Sharon prompts.

"I will do that today," Andy nods.

"You also want to tell me what happened with Emily?"

"Oh god," Andy shakes his head with a groan, "For all the grace that she has learned in that class, Wednesday night she tripped and fell. She didn't catch herself right and cracked her head on the floor and hurt her arm. The teacher called me, by the time I got down there the paramedics were looking at her and decided to take her to the hospital. I knew you had the presentation on Thursday and the doctor said she was fine, I didn't think it was a huge deal."

"Well let me say right now, just so we're clear in the future," Sharon says, "If one of the kids gets hurt, call me. No matter what I'm doing. Call me and let me know. Even if it's something small."

"I will keep that in mind," Andy says, "And apparently the same should go for you."

"My heel got stuck in a stupid grate on the sidewalk and made me twist my ankle more," Sharon shakes her head, "Next time I trip in New York, I'll tell you."

"Well I've also decided you're not allowed to leave again, I can't handle all four of them on my own," Andy laughs.

"And you want to have another baby," Sharon teases, leaning closer to press a kiss to Andy's lips.

"Don't I'm sick."

"If you're all sick, I've probably already got it," Sharon says and presses her mouth to his, kissing him softly, "Thank you for taking care of them this week. You're a great father and a great boyfriend, or fiancé now I suppose."

"Speaking of, I have something for you," Andy says, pushing himself up off the couch. He pads down the hallway, returning a few minutes later. He turns the black box over in his hand a few times before holding it out to her, "I think this belongs to you."

"Andy you didn't have to…" Sharon murmurs as she takes the box.

"It's not much," Andy says before she opens the box, "I just wanted you to have something."

"Thank you," Sharon says before opening the box. Nestled in the white velvet of the box was a delicate looking silver ring. The band was made of three braided strands and topped with a sculpted rose and two small leaves.

"I couldn't really afford a diamond, and I didn't want to get you one of those fake ones," Andy explains, "And I didn't know if you would want a colored stone so I…"

"Andy," Sharon stops him with a smile, "It's perfect."

"Yeah? You like it?"

"I love it," Sharon says, holding the box up to him, "Will you do the honors?"

"Of course," Andy nods taking the box. He takes the ring out of the box and gets down on his knee in front of her. He takes her hand in his and slips the ring down her finger, smiling as it slips past her knuckles with ease.

"Perfect fit," Sharon says, curling her fingers around Andy's before leaning down to kiss him softly, "I love you."

"I love you too," Andy murmurs. Sharon runs her fingers through his hair and feels his forehead before stroking his cheek.

"Come on. Why don't you get comfortable on the couch? I'm going to look through what we have for groceries and see if I can't sling some soup together," Sharon suggests before getting up. She tucks Andy into the couch and gives him the remote before pressing a kiss to his head and heading into the kitchen.

* * *

[TBC]


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes:** We're headed down an angsty dip guys and gals, but don't worry, there's elevation on the other side!

* * *

By the end of the next week the kids and Andy had gotten over their cold and it ended up hitting Sharon. It had knocked her off her feet for a couple days, forcing her to stay and work from home. After a quiet weekend at home she returned to work on Monday working through the tail end of the stuffy nose and cough before she was back to full health.

"I thought you said you didn't feel nauseous when you were sick," Sharon says as she turns her nose away from the coffee Andy offers in her direction.

"I didn't," Andy says as he fills his mug before putting the pot back and sitting down at the table with her and the kids, "None of the kids got sick to their stomachs."

"I've been nauseous for days," Sharon says with a wrinkle of her nose as she finishes the toast in front of her.

"Maybe you should go to the doctor," Andy suggests as he reaches over and wipes Ricky's face off.

"I'm sure it's nothing," Sharon replies with a shake of her head.

"Then go and find out it's nothing," Andy suggests, "The rest of us were feeling better by this point, if you're not maybe it's something else."

"Down!" Ricky yells, banging his fists on his tray.

"Hey!" Andy says, giving the boy an unamused look, "No yelling."

"Wan down!"

"I'll get you down when we're done with breakfast," Andy tells him before turning back to Sharon, "I don't think it would hurt to go."

"I'll call when I get to work," Sharon agrees before starting to collect everyone's plates. She washes everything off quick before loading them into the dishwasher, "Em, go grab your bag, we have to leave soon."

"Okay," Emily says hopping down from her chair and running back to her room to grab her things.

"Wan down!" Ricky yells louder after Emily leaves.

"Richard!" Sharon snaps back. Ricky lets out an angry yell before starting to cry.

"Oh my goodness boy," Andy says with a sigh as he stands before undoing the tray on Ricky's chair before unbuckling and letting him down. The boy stops crying as his feet touch the ground and he wipes his eyes before walking to where Lily was laying in the corner of the kitchen. He squats down in front of her and reaches out to pet her head. Sharon shakes her head and grabs both of the kids' lunches out of the fridge before Emily comes back. She hands both of the lunches to Andy and kisses him on the cheek before kissing Emily and picking Ricky up to kiss his head.

"Thank you for taking them."

"No problem," Andy smiles and kisses her once more before taking the kids out to his patrol car to load them in. Sharon locks up the dog and the house before getting in her own car and heading towards the office. She gets in and picks up a few files from her desk before starting her day. She calls the doctor's office over her lunch break and makes an appointment to come in later in the afternoon.

On her way out of the office she stops by Andy's desk and taps her nails against the top. Her eyes scan the room, watching as the other officers glare at her. Andy looks up from the case file on his desk, arching his eyebrow at her.

"What's up?"

"I'm heading out a little bit early, there was an opening this afternoon that they were able to fit me into," Sharon says, hitching her bag over her shoulder, "I'll take care of getting the kids, do you know when you'll be home?"

"Late probably," Andy says, "I'll call."

"Okay," Sharon nods, offering him a small smile and a soft look before heading out to her car. She makes her way to the doctor's office, getting checked in before taking a seat in one of the open chairs. Prepared to wait she grabs one of the files from her purse and flips it open before starting to read and write.

It takes about twenty minutes before a nurse comes out to call her back. She stuffs the file back into her bag before following the woman back to an exam room. They take some basic vitals before she's left alone to change into the gown on the table. Sharon changes, folding her clothes up and setting them on the chair before climbing onto the edge of the table to wait. A few minutes later her doctor comes in and she offers a small smile in greeting.

"How are you doing Sharon?"

"I've been better," Sharon says.

"Want to tell me whats up?"

"The kids were all sick a couple weeks ago, and then I got sick last week," Sharon explains, "It wasn't anything serious just a basic cold, but I've been nauseous since it hit me. All the other stuff cleared up but it hasn't really gone away. I was talking to Andy this morning and he said he didn't really have an upset stomach or anything and neither did any of the kids."

"You got your flu shot this year?"

"Yeah," Sharon nods.

"Any other aches and pains?"

"Not particularly," Sharon shakes her head.

"Alright, let's look you over," The doctor says after reviewing some of Sharon's information. She snaps on a pair of gloves before starting to examine Sharon quietly before speaking up a few moments later, "When was your last period?"

"Um, it's been a few months," Sharon says as she tips her head back while her lymph nodes are felt, "With the IUD it comes and goes."

"You've been having sex?"

"Yeah," Sharon nods, laying back on the table as the doctor palpates her abdomen.

"Any pain?"

"No," Sharon shakes her head before sitting up again. The doctor looks over the paperwork again before taking her gloves off.

"Would you mind giving us a urine sample for some quick tests and then we'll see what we might be able to do for you?"

"Sure," Sharon nods. The doctor gives her a cup and points her towards the bathroom.

"Go ahead and get dressed and then give this a quick fill. Just bring it back in here when you're done."

"Thanks," Sharon says. The doctor leaves the room and she gets back into her clothes before heading over to the patient bathroom to fill the sample cup. After using the bathroom and washing her hands Sharon brings the cup back to the exam room, setting it on the paper towel before taking a seat back on the edge of the exam table. A nurse pops in and grabs the cup, taking it with her as she leaves.

Sharon looks at her watch as she waits, making sure that she was still going to be able to get to the school on time to pick up the kids. As her brain gets used to the silence she jumps as the door opens before her doctor comes in again.

"Sorry if I startled you."

"It's okay, I just zoned out there for a second," Sharon smiles, her mouth straightening as she takes in the doctor's apprehensive look.

"So, from what we can tell you are pregnant," The doctor tells her, leaning against the small counter in the room, "I can't tell you much more than that right now. What I want you to do though is go to your OB tomorrow and meet with her. Things are more sensitive with pregnancies that occur while the IUD is implanted. She'll be able to run more tests and help walk you through your treatment options."

Sharon's mouth gapes for a few moments, opening and closing before her eyes narrow in confusion, "What?"

"It's about a .5% chance of this happening with proper implanting…but it _does_ happen," The doctor says, "The nurse at the front desk will get you scheduled for tomorrow, is there anything else that you need from me today?"

"Um…no," Sharon shakes her head with a twitch, her eyes glued to the floor as her brain wracks it self trying to process the information. She gets up and grabs her bag and jacket before heading out to the waiting room to talk to the nurse waiting for her at the front desk. The nurse offers her a few appointment times for the next day and she picks the earliest one available, thanking her as she fills out a reminder card before hurrying her way out of the office. She pauses next to the car and runs her hand across her middle, taking a shaking breath as her eyes tear up. She unlocks the car and gets in, taking a moment to collect herself before going to pick the kids up from school.

Ricky gets picked up first and then they walk their way over to pick Emily up before returning to the car. Sharon tucks them both into the back seat before getting in herself and heading home. Emily races inside to change her clothes and Sharon holds the door open as Ricky toddles in behind her.

"Wily home!" Ricky yells before going over to Lily's crate and flipping the lock to let her out.

"Come on, let's take Lily outside," Sharon says as she opens the back door. The dog runs outside, doing a few laps of the yard before going to the bathroom.

"Go pay?"

"Yeah, you can go out and play," Sharon nods with a small smile before looking through the fridge to decide on dinner. Emily comes skidding through the kitchen and out the back door a couple moments later to join the two in the back. Sharon pulls out part of a leftover chicken and grabs a box of macaroni and cheese out of the pantry before starting to ends up serving the kids the chicken and a little bit of mac and cheese, leaning against the counter as she finds herself plowing through the rest of the cheese coated noodles.

After dinner she lets them out back again as she quickly washes the dishes before going to the bedroom to change her clothes. She ends up in leggings and an oversized sweater, making her way out back to sit on a lounge chair as she watches the kids. Sharon jumps as she feels a hand on her shoulder, her head snapping up to look at Andy. He tilts his head and arches his eyebrow in confusion.

"Sorry, didn't you hear me?" Andy apologizes, squeezing her shoulder gently.

"No, sorry I didn't," Sharon shakes her head before offering him a small smile, "I thought you were going to be late."

"I got out earlier. You guys already have dinner?"

"Yeah, we just ate left overs. Do you want me to make you something?"

"No I can find something myself," Andy shakes his head before frowning again, "Are you okay? How did your appointment go?"

"Okay, I have another one in the morning though at 8:30, so I can get the kids to school."

"Another one?" Andy says with worry in his tone.

"I'm fine," Sharon assures him, "I'll tell you about it later."

"Okay," Andy says, squeezing her shoulder again before heading inside to make himself dinner. Sharon gets the kids bathed and ready for bed before tucking them in. She shuts the door behind herself and moves into her bathroom for her nightly routine. After brushing her teeth and washing her face she pulls her hair back in a messy bun, walking back down to the living room where Andy was watching tv, "You know I hate this awkward season between football and baseball, there's nothing on."

"Only another month before pitchers and catchers report," Sharon says as she sinks down close to him, immediately snuggling into his side and wrapping her arm around him. Andy's arm easily falls around her shoulders as he presses a kiss to her forehead.

"Vic called while you were giving the kids a bath, she was wondering if we could take the kids on Friday night also."

"Sure," Sharon nods, "It's nice that she's bringing them over more."

"It is," Andy agrees with a smile. The two of them sit for a while before Andy squeezes her, "What did they say at the doctor?"

"I'm pregnant," Sharon says, staring straight ahead at the tv, "That's why I have another appointment tomorrow. The doctor wanted me to go to my OB for more tests because of the IUD…apparently stuff can…it's just different."

"Oh…," Andy says, sitting quietly for a few minutes, "I wasn't expecting that."

"Me either…"

"Are you…do you…" Andy takes a deep breath before finishing his sentence, "Do you want to do this?"

"No, but we'll make it work," Sharon says, rubbing the palm of her hand over his stomach, "It'll get better."

* * *

[TBC]


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes:** Thanks to everyone for you reviews for the last couple chapters. It's much appreciated!

Also to answer a couple questions from reviews/clear up a couple things - [from research that I've done] getting pregnant while an IUD is currently implanted isn't seriously dangerous, but if the pregnancy continues with the implant still inside the uterus it could potentially cause issues, and trying to remove it to let the pregnancy continue could potentially cause issues. On a basic level what the mother is looking at is an increased chance of miscarriage.

And I did want to point out that I had intended on this storyline before the recent news story with the baby holding his Mom's IUD after being conceived while the IUD was placed and the doctor was unable to remove it.

Please continue to enjoy and review, this is going to be a roller coaster for a few chapters!

* * *

Sharon sighs as she lays back on the table, her feet planted against the exam table's stirrups. She offers a small smile at Andy as his fingers slip in between hers.

"So far so good," The doctor says to them as she wheels over the ultrasound, "I can still feel the strings from the implant so there's still a chance for removal. We'll take a look inside here and see where things are sitting."

"Okay," Sharon nods.

"How are Emily and Ricky doing?" The doctor inquires as she turns the machine on before inserting the ultrasound wand. Sharon lets out a small sound and shifts her hips slightly with a swallow before replying.

"They're doing good," Sharon smiles, "Ricky is ornery as ever…already preparing for the terrible twos."

"I'm sure…alright, so there's your little bean right there," The doctor points out on the screen, "Based on what you've told me I'd say you're about six weeks or so. He or she looks like they're sitting in a good spot"

"And the IUD?" Sharon asks, barely giving the black speck a second glance as Andy's eyes stay glued to the screen

"Also in a good spot," The doctor says, "I think we have a good opportunity to remove it today without disturbing the embryo."

"What are the risks?" Andy asks.

"There are risks either way we go," The doctor explains, "If it stays in it has the chance to puncture the sac later, if we take it out now we run the risk of disturbing the 'habitat'. This will be considered a high risk pregnancy as we continue on, just so there's no illusions that once we take it out everything's going to be fine. But it _is_ up to you two what you want to do today."

"I want to take it out," Sharon says without hesitation, "No matter what I just want to take it out."

"Alright," The doctor nods, removing the wand before putting it away, "Let me go grab a couple extra pairs of hands and we can get this taken care of."

"Sure," Sharon nods, dropping her knees together as the doctor leaves. She sighs as she looks up at Andy squeezing his hand.

"I'm sorry," Andy says as he looks down at her.

"You don't have to be sorry for anything," Sharon says, "What happens happens."

"I love you," Andy murmurs, pressing a kiss to her knuckles. The doctor comes back a few minutes later with two nurses, the three of them getting Sharon set up for the removal before starting. Andy's surprised that just a couple minutes later the doctor holds up the offending white t-shaped object and drops it into a dish, "That's it? I mean, that's all that thing is?"

"Yep that's all it is," The doctor says as she cleans up before letting Sharon put her legs down completely, "I think we're done here today. I would suggest you go home and take it easy for the afternoon, and call me if you experience anything more than cramps and light spotting. I want you to make an appointment for a couple weeks from now for just a regular check-up, and make sure you grab yourself a bottle of prenatal vitamins as well."

"Thank you," Sharon says, waiting for the doctor to leave before she gets off the bed and starts to redress.

"I'll drop you off at home before I head in, and I can pick the kids up from school tonight and get your vitamins on the way home," Andy says as he stuffs his hands in his pockets.

"You have your meeting tonight," Sharon says as she buttons up her shirt, "I can go pick the kids up and run by the pharmacy."

"I can go another night."

"No, I want you to go tonight," Sharon says with a stern tone, "You need to go. And you've already taken the morning off so you could probably stand to put the time back in."

"Okay," Andy says holding his hands up, "I'll go to my meeting."

The two of them walk out to the front room and Sharon schedules her next appointment before Andy follows her out to the car. He drives her home and pulls into the drive before she unbuckles her seat belt and leans over, pressing a kiss to his lips.

"Thank you for coming this morning."

"You'll be okay?" Andy asks.

"Yeah, I'll be fine," Sharon assures him before getting out of the car and heading inside. She lets Lily out of her crate before going to the bedroom and changing into a pair of sweats. She picks up the phone from her bedside table and calls the office, letting them know she won't be in as she curls up on her side in bed. The phone gets hung up and she sighs as she pulls the covers up, Lily settling in and curling up at her back.

Sharon stares at the wall trying to gather up some kind of excitement for what was happening. She had been bouncing off the walls when she found out she was pregnant with Emily, she was even a little excited when she'd taken the test with Ricky, but now…All she wanted was to curl up and for everything to go away. She's not surprised when she feels a tear roll down her cheek, lifting her hand to brush it away before closing her eyes and letting out a cleansing breath, trying to get some rest.

Her eyes snap open a few hours later when she hears the kids racing through the house and Lily jumps up off the bed. She grabs the alarm clock in a panic, seeing that it was past Ricky and Emily's school pickup time. She moves to scramble out of bed before Andy taps on the door and steps in.

"Hey, the school called when they didn't get picked up…"

"I fell asleep," Sharon says as she sinks against the bed with a sigh, curling up on her side again, "I didn't think I'd be out that long so I didn't set an alarm…"

"How are you feeling?" Andy asks as he sits down on his side of the bed.

"Okay," She shrugs, tucking her pillow under her chin.

"I mean how are you _feeling_?" Andy says again, reaching out to brush her hair from her face. His fingers stroke over her cheek and he studies her eyes.

"It'll get better," Sharon says, repeating her line from the evening before, closing her eyes as she feels the tears well up again. Andy kicks his shoes off before stretching out on his side of the bed and pulling her closer, wrapping his arms around her in a tight hug. She lets her body unfold into him and she wraps her arms around his waist, snuggling closer to his warmth as she sniffles before bursting into full on tears. His broad hands rub up her back, his fingertips gently fingering along her spine as she sobs into his chest, clutching his shirt in her fists. He lets her cry it out for a few minutes before her tears begin to subside and her grip relaxes. She adds a couple extra centimeters between them and hazards a glance up at his face with her red eyes before the bedroom door slams open the rest of the way and Emily jumps on the bed. Andy grimaces as her cast catches him in the thigh before she settles on top of the both of them.

"What are you guys doing in here? Mommy, why are you crying?" Emily frowns.

"It's nothing baby," Sharon says with a slight rasp to her voice before she clears her throat, "Mommy's just had a long day…come're and give me a hug."

"Try not to punch her in the face, lead fist," Andy jokes as he shifts back to let the little girl hug her mother. He climbs out of bed and takes off his now wrinkled and stained button up, tossing it into the dry cleaning pile, "Where's your brother?"

"I dunno," Emily shrugs as she snuggles closer to Sharon. Andy rolls his eyes before leaving the room and calling out for Ricky. He finds the little boy sitting in the kitchen petting the dog with his hand in a box of graham crackers alternating between stuffing some in his mouth and feeding them to Lily. He rolls his eyes and picks Ricky up off the ground before putting the box away back into the pantry.

"You're not supposed to feed the puppy your food."

"Give Lily num nums," Rick grins. He carries him back to the bedroom and plops him onto the bed next to Sharon and Emily.

"Here, stay with Mama and Mimi while I make dinner," Andy says, ruffling his fingers through Ricky's messy hair.

"I can get them dinner," Sharon says, looking up at Andy.

"I've got it," Andy assures her, rubbing a hand up her back, "You relax with the kids."

"Thank you," Sharon murmurs, reaching out to squeeze his hand.

Early Saturday morning Sharon slips out of bed and to the bathroom, using the toilet before washing her hands. She runs her fingers through her hair to untangle it a little bit before brushing her hands over her night gown, pausing over her stomach. She turns to the side slightly and rubs her hand back and forth before sticking her stomach out as far as possible.

Spending a few minutes looking at her image in the mirror Sharon lets out another sigh before turning the light off and going back to the bedroom. She slips into bed next to Andy and snuggles back up to his body, burying her nose against his shoulder.

"Your nose is cold," Andy mumbles as he holds her tighter.

"It's cold in the house," Sharon replies quietly, letting her nose continue to warm itself. She lays quietly for a few minutes before speaking again, "Maybe this won't be too bad. I mean we still have a lot of Ricky and Emily's stuff. By the time the baby's here we could probably get Ricky out of diapers. I could breastfeed again…we saved a lot of money by not having to give Ricky formula. Even if it was just part of the time…"

"I just want you to be happy," Andy says.

"Are you happy?" Sharon asks.

"Emily and Ricky are two of the best parts of my life, of course I'm happy…" Andy says, finally shifting so he can look at her, "Maybe we could have exercised a little better timing, but it's hardly like we were planning on this at all."

"Right?" Sharon laughs. Andy lets out a sigh of relief, it was the first time that he had heard her laugh in a while. She continues to giggle for a few moments before snorting loudly, "Oh god!"

"Did you just snort?"

"Yes," Sharon laughs with a nod as she covers her mouth and nose. Andy laughs and tucks her hair behind her ear, smiling at her.

"You going to be okay?"

"Yeah, I'm going to be okay," Sharon smiles and covers his hand with hers. She presses a kiss to his palm, "We're having a baby."

"We are," Andy smiles before dropping his hand down to her stomach and giving a rub. Sharon covers his hand with her own and leans over, pressing a deep kiss to his lips.

"I love you, no matter how much your super sperm keeps mucking things up sometimes," She teases.

"You like my super sperm," Andy murmurs as he pulls her closer.

"Mmmm, I do," Sharon grins, kissing him again as he rolls her onto her back.

* * *

[TBC]


	12. Chapter 12

**Warning:** Just a warning that this does get dark later in the chapter and deals with topics like miscarriage.

* * *

"You know I think I would rather throw up than be nauseous all the time," Sharon says with a small huff as she sets her blow dryer down and runs her fingers through her hair. Andy steps into the doorway of the bathroom, buttoning up his shirt as he watches her get started on her makeup.

"You've got…two three weeks left before you're in your second trimester?"

"I know," Sharon sighs, "It's just never been the constant rolling stomach before. I'd throw up a couple times and feel better."

"You said that tea you've been drinking is helping."

"It is," Sharon nods. Andy finishes buttoning his shirt before stepping behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist. He rests his hands on her stomach and presses a soft kiss to her neck as he squeezes her gently. Sharon sets down the brush in her hand and leans into his hold as she covers his hands, "Or you could just do this all day."

"Would if I could, my darling," Andy smiles against her neck, "We should tell the kids soon…"

"I was thinking about that earlier," Sharon says as she steps forward again, resuming her application, "We have Char and Nic next weekend, let's do it then."

"Okay."

"And you are calling and telling your mother before then."

"I'm never going to live any of that down am I?"

"Nope," Sharon grins and winks at him in the mirror before she hears her pager go off in the other room. She sets her makeup down before heading out into the bedroom and grabbing it off of her dresser. She looks at the number and message before picking up the phone and dialing in. Andy finishes getting dressed as he listens to her side of the conversation, nodding when she looks at him and says she can be there in 30 minutes. Sharon hangs up the phone and sighs with a shake of her head as she goes back to quickly finishing getting ready.

"Where do you have to go?"

"East Compton," Sharon says as she swipes on some lipstick before grabbing her shirt off the hangar and pulling it on. She grabs a pair of shoes from the closet and pulls them onto her feet before pick up all of her things off the dresser. After pressing a quick kiss to Andy's lips she makes her way down the hall, stopping to kiss Emily and Ricky goodbye before heading out to the car. Andy makes his way down to the kitchen and ruffles Ricky's hair as Emily looks up from her cereal.

"Where's Mommy going?"

"She got called into work a little early," Andy tells her as he finishes packing up their lunches, "So you are stuck with me this morning."

"Oh…" Emily says, sitting in thought for a moment, "Can we have tacos for dinner?"

"Sure," Andy laughs as he lifts Ricky out of his highchair and sets him down, "We can have tacos for dinner."

"Awesome," Emily says, taking one last bite before Andy takes her bowl from her and rinses it out in the sink along with rinsing off Ricky's tray. He was finally starting to get most of the food in his mouth so hopefully they could move him to an actual chair soon.

 _So the baby can have the high chair_ , Andy thinks to himself with a shake of his head. He was happy, but he also realized they were nuts. Having three of them all the time was going to be rough, and then occasionally having five of them was going to be even more crazy.

"Daddy!" Emily says, breaking Andy out of his reverie.

"Yeah baby?"

"Are we going?"

"Yeah, yes we're going," Andy nods handing her her lunch as he puts Ricky's in his bag, guiding the boy towards the door. He gets Lily into her crate and grabs his keys before telling the kids to get into the car as he locks up the house. After dropping the kids off at school and getting the car parked Andy makes his way into the office. He stops in the break room for a cup of coffee, sipping on the scalding liquid as he makes his way to his desk.

"Flynn, I've got a double for you, fresh off the press," His CO says, handing him a piece of paper, "Patrol is already there."

"Thanks," Andy says, taking the paper before turning on his heel and leaving again. He meets his partner at the scene getting a description from the patrol officers there before they start to look things over. After a couple hours of working the scene his partner lifts his sunglasses up as Andy kneels next to the body, taking some notes.

"Are you ignoring someone?"

"Huh?" Andy asks, looking up and squinting as his eyes catch the sun.

"Your pagers been going off for like 20 minutes straight."

"Shit," Andy curses as he notices the beeping finally, grabbing the pocket sized box off his belt before looking at the display and flipping through the messages. The first couple were 911s from Sharon that she had only tagged herself in before sending that she was at St. Francis, "Fuck, I gotta go, I'll meet you back at the office."

"Sure. Everything okay?"

"I don't know," Andy says as he runs back over to his car and climbs into the drivers seat before turning on the lights and speeding away. He'd been sent over to West LA and was facing a trek across town to get to the hospital she had indicated. He pulls into the emergency parking almost an hour later and jogs inside to the check-in desk.

"Can I help you?" The nurse drawls, not looking up from the paperwork in front of her.

"My girlfriend came in…probably bout an hour and a half ago."

"Name?"

"O'Dwyer, she's with the LAPD."

"One second," The nurse says before flipping through the charts that she had at her desk, "She is in bay 6, straight back on your left."

"Thank you," Andy murmurs before moving back to the ER area, glancing into the curtained off cubicles before he finds Sharon sitting alone in a bed, hooked up to a few monitors, "Hey. I'm sorry I just got your pages, what happened?"

Sharon only manages to give him a sad look and lift her hand from the bed, her fingers still lightly stained with blood. Andy pulls the curtain shut and steps closer, sitting on the edge of the bed before taking her hand in his.

"What did they say?"

"I'm waiting on someone to come down from Maternity but they couldn't find a heartbeat when they did the first ultrasound…" Sharon whispers. Her head tips back and her eyes slip closed as she lets out a slightly pained sound, her fingers wrapping around his tightly. He presses a kiss to the back of her hand as he sits with her, waiting, unsure what to say or do. It's only a couple minutes later that the curtain is pulled open again and a couple doctors step inside. Andy stands up from the bed but keeps a hold on her hand as he listens to the conversation.

"Sharon this is Doctor Benson from the Maternity ward. She's going to take you upstairs for another ultrasound and get you settled into a room," The ER doctor explains, "Does that sound alright to you?"

"Yeah," Sharon replies quietly, nodding. The doctors open the curtains wider, letting a nurse and an orderly step in to get her disconnected from her monitors before unlocking the wheels on her bed and starting to move her.

"Once we get upstairs I'll show you to her room while we take her back for the ultrasound," The doctor tells Andy.

"Can I go with her?" Andy asks.

"Of course, if that's okay with you Sharon?" Doctor Benson asks.

"Please," Sharon nods, squeezing Andy's hand. The group makes their way down to the ultrasound rooms on the maternity floor and the doctor pulls the door closed before dimming the lights. She rolls back Sharon's gown and drapes a towel across her hips.

"I was looking at your paperwork, you're 9 weeks?"

"Nine and a half," Sharon says, "We found out a few weeks ago."

"No pain, cramping, bleeding up to this point?"

"I had to have an IUD removed at the time, but besides some light spotting that day, no," Sharon shakes her head.

"Okay," The doctor nods as she grabs a bottle of gel and squeezes some out onto Sharon's abdomen. She moves the wand back and forth over her stomach, pressing down to get better glimpses on the fuzzy monitor. Andy watches the doctor's face as Sharon lays with her eyes closed, her hand occasionally reaching up to swipe away a tear. After a little while she puts the wand away and turns off the machine, grabbing a couple kleenex for Sharon, "So I'm not confident in what I'm seeing. Growth is on the low side and I'm not picking up a heartbeat. However it could be early for that. I'd like to keep you for a couple more hours and monitor you. Provided things don't progress, you don't experience any cramping or heavier bleeding, you should still follow up with your personal OB in a couple days, see where things are at. This _could_ be a fluke, and everything could be fine."

"What are the chances of that?" Andy asks when Sharon doesn't speak up.

"Based on my experience…not high."

"Thanks, Doc," Andy says. The doctor nods and buzzes a nurse to wheel Sharon to her room. Once the bed gets settled Sharon gets hooked back up to a few things and the nurse marks down some readings.

"Can I get you two anything?"

"No. I think we're good," Andy says, offering her a small smile before moving to take a seat next to Sharon's bed. He pauses and walks over to the sink in the corner of the room, pulling out a few paper towels before wetting them. He walks over to her bed and takes her hand in his, gently wiping the warm, wet paper over her skin to clean off her hand. Sharon watches him with wet eyelashes and greying eyes.

"I'm sorry…if I had…" Her breath hitches, "If I had wanted this earlier…"

"This isn't your fault," Andy tells her as he tosses the paper towel into the trash before lifting her hand to his lips and kissing her knuckles, "Don't think that this is your fault."

"How can I not?" Sharon whispers. Andy sits down and squeezes her hand with a soft sigh.

"Because no matter how you felt when we found out…you didn't feel that way today," He reminds her.

"I don't want this to happen…"

"I know."

* * *

[TBC]


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes:** I would say continued trigger warning for this chapter as well. I will say that there is an upswing in the future, so don't feel too despaired. Thanks to everyone has reviewed the last few chapters!

* * *

Andy sighs as he slumps over the pay phone down the hall from Sharon's room. He plugs a couple coins in and dials the office, letting them know that neither he or Sharon was going to be in for the day before adding a couple more and dialing another number.

"Hello?"

"Hey Vic…"

"Hey honey…how are things going?" Vicky replies in a soft voice.

"They're getting ready to send her home here in the next couple hours or so," Andy says as he closes his eyes. Expecting to head home in a couple hours the afternoon before Andy figured he would have time to get Sharon home and settled before going to pick up the kids.

Yet by the time the doctor had come back to check on her things had started to go down hill. He had ended up calling Vicky, asking her if she could pick up the kids and keep them for the night. After a little extra prodding by his ex he had spilled his guts out. She assured him that she would collect Ricky and Emily and that they were welcome to stay with her as long as they needed.

"The kids got off this morning okay," Vicky assures him, "I think they're worried about her though."

"It's been a rough few weeks," Andy says, "I'll talk to Emily and Ricky will just get clingy…"

"They need her just as much as she's going to need them," Vicky tells him, "I'll pick them up from school and bring them home. You stay with her."

"Thank you," Andy murmurs, "I'll call you if anything changes."

"Sounds good, I'll see you later," Vicky says before hanging up the phone. Andy hangs up and sighs as he makes his way back to Sharon's room. He sits down next to her bed and drops his head back, staring up at the ceiling of the hospital room. He finds himself counting the tiles as he waits for her to wake up again, only pulling his eyes away when he feels her hand twitch in his.

"Hey," Andy whispers as he leans closer.

"Hi," Sharon whispers back.

"I just talked to Vicky, she said the kids got off fine this morning. She offered to pick them up from school and bring them home later this afternoon," Andy says, "And the doctor should be by soon to see about discharging you."

"That's good," Sharon says, "I miss them."

"They miss you," Andy says with a smile, leaning over and pressing a kiss to her forehead before the doctor comes in. After a quick exam and a little bit of conversation the doctor leaves them with a prescription for some pain medication and discharge papers. A nurse comes in a few moments later and helps disconnect Sharon from everything before getting out her bag of belongings for her. Andy opens the bag to get things out for her and wrinkles his nose at the smell before closing the bag again, "Is there anywhere I could get some sweats for her?"

"The gift shop downstairs has some basics," The nurse offers.

"I'm going to run downstairs and grab you some new clothes," Andy says, rubbing Sharon's arm before he heads out of the room and down to the gift shop. He gets her a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt, paying cash for them before bringing them upstairs. Sharon thanks him as he hands over the clothes before going to the bathroom to change. She comes out a few minutes later and digs a hair tie out of her purse before pulling her hair back.

"Ready?" She asks.

"If you are," Andy replies, grabbing her bag and the bag of her clothes to carry for her. The nurse helps her into the wheel chair and wheels her along side Andy down to the front entrance, "Shit I've gotta grab the car…"

"I'm not going anywhere," Sharon says dryly before thanking the nurse for wheeling her down.

"I'll be right back," Andy says before setting her bags down and jogging to go find the car. He pulls around a couple minutes later and gets out, moving around to the passenger side. He tosses Sharon's stuff into the backseat before helping her out of the wheelchair and opening her door for her.

"Thank you," Sharon murmurs before getting in and buckling her seatbelt. Andy moves back around to the drivers side and gets in before pulling away.

"Is there anything you want to grab on the way home?" Andy asks.

"No, I'm fine," Sharon shakes her head, sighing as she leans her head against the window, watching the cars and buildings pass by. Andy's hand slips across the middle and he wraps his pinky around her index finger, just wanting to hold onto her. He notices a small smile spread across her lips as she shifts her hand and threads their fingers together.

Once they get home he parks the car in the driveway and Sharon pulls her hand away to open her car door. Andy grabs her things from the backseat and follows her to the front door, unlocking it and letting her in. He sets her bag by the table and tosses her clothes towards the laundry. Lily lets out a bark from her kennel when she's not let out after a couple minutes. Andy curses to himself when he realizes he had completely forgotten about her the day before. He walks over to the kennel and lifts the lock to let her out before noticing a note on top.

 _Stopped by and let her out last night and this morning, probably needs a walk. - V_

Andy shakes his head and tosses the note in the trash before going back to the kitchen. He puts the kettle on and digs through the pantry, finding one last tea bag in the box that Sharon had been drinking. He throws the box away and scratches the back of his neck as he finishes making the cup of tea. He gets a small glass of ice water and half of one of the pills she'd been given before heading down to the bedroom. Sharon had taken a quick shower and changed, taking up residence on her side of the bed with a book in her hands and Lily's head resting in her lap.

"I've got tea, water, and half of a pill," Andy says as he sets the things on her bedside table, "Do you want anything to eat? I'm sure I could scrounge something up."

"Not really," Sharon sighs, "But a couple slices of toast would probably be good."

"Alright, I'm going to get that for you and I'm going to make a list for the store, do you think you'll…"

"I'll be fine while you go to the store," Sharon interrupts, offering what she hoped was a reassuring smile.

"Okay," Andy nods, squeezing her leg before heading back to the kitchen. He makes a couple slices of toast for her and leaves them dry before bringing them back to the bedroom, "Two slices of toast for the lady."

"Why thank you sir," Sharon smiles and closes her book taking the plate from him.

"Do you want me to move the tv in here or something?" Andy asks, "I don't want you to get bored."

"I'm fine," Sharon shakes her head, "But thank you though."

"Alright…" Andy says skeptically.

"Andy," Sharon says, putting the plate on her bedside table before pushing herself to sit up more, "I know you're worried. I know you're concerned. But in a couple days…In a couple days it's going to be like this never happened."

"You don't believe that do you?" Andy asks, taking a seat on the side of their bed, "That we're just going to forget this?"

"No, but it makes the next five minutes easier…" She shrugs, "And the next five after that…"

Andy presses a kiss to her forehead before dropping his against hers and finding her hand, stroking his thumb over her knuckles, "I love you."

"I love you too," Sharon replies, pressing her lips to his, "Now you should go to the store before the kids get back."

"Anything special you want?"

"Ice cream, please."

"Of course," Andy nods, pulling back, "I'll be back in a couple hours, but I'll have my pager on me if you need anything."

"Okay," Sharon says, her mouth lifting slightly. Andy presses one more kiss to her head before getting up off the bed. Sharon sighs and leans back against her pillows after she hears the door shut. She eats the toast that Andy had made, taking the half a pain pill with the water before starting to drink the tea. By the time she finishes the cup and a couple chapters of her book she finds her eyes drooping. She puts the book up and shuffles down the bed more, curling up on her side and reaching out to run her fingers through Lily's fur, "Don't eat anything while I'm sleeping."

"Mama," Sharon snaps awake a few hours later, Ricky's face a couple inches from hers. A sleepy smile spreads across her lips and she reaches out tugging him closer.

"Hi my sweet boy," She murmurs as she hugs him tight, pressing a kiss to his head, "Mmm, where is Dada?"

"Dada door," Ricky points towards the hallway.

"Let's go find him," Sharon says, slipping out of bed and grabbing her robe. Ricky stands up on the bed and holds his hands up to her. She lifts him onto her hip and wraps her arm around him as she presses another kiss to his head. Stepping out into the hall she finds Andy standing at the front door talking to Vicky with Emily glued to his leg and a large takeout bag at his side.

"Hey," Vicky says, turning away from Andy, "How are you feeling?"

"Better than yesterday," Sharon says as she steps closer. She reaches out and runs her fingers through Emily's hair, putting a hand on her shoulder, "Thank you for taking them last night."

"It wasn't a problem at all," Vicky waves her off.

"She also brought dinner and Charlie and Nicole made you some get well soon cards," Andy says, holding up the bag.

"You didn't need to do that," Sharon says with a shake of her head.

"It's fine," Vicky says, "I'm sure you guys will benefit from not having to worry about dinner for one night. Anyway, I should get going. Let me know if you need anything else, Ricky and Emily are always welcome to come over."

"Thank you, again," Sharon says. The four of them say goodbye to Vicky before Andy shuts the door behind her. Emily lets go of Andy's leg before wrapping her arms around Sharon's waist and hugging her close as she buries her face into her stomach. She wraps her arm around her daughter and hugs her close, swallowing as she looks at Andy with wet eyes.

"Come on, let's see what we have here for dinner," Andy says as he heads into the kitchen, "And I also picked up a couple movie while I was out."

"Oh, what did you get?" Emily asks as she pulls away from Sharon before following her father into the kitchen. Sharon carries Ricky in, sitting down with him in one of the chairs and rubbing her hand along his back.

"I got Ninja Turtles and the Jetsons," Andy says as he unpacks the bag of food, finding that Vicky had picked up Chinese food for them. He hands the two hand drawn cards over to Sharon before going to grab plates.

"Ooh, the Jetsons!" Emily says as she reaches for one of the fortune cookies.

"Ah, ah, ah, after dinner," Sharon reminds her.

"I was just picking which one I want," Emily says sweetly. Sharon rolls her eyes and shakes her head as she pulls her daughter over to her and kisses her head.

"I love you, you know that?"

"I love you too," Emily says, smiling up at her.

After dinner the four of them curl up on the couch together to watch movie Emily had picked out. Emily was wedged between Andy and Sharon and leaning into her mother. Ricky was curled up on Sharon's other side with his head in his mother's lap, already asleep. Emily lets out a loud yawn and snuggles closer to Sharon, her eyes starting to droop closed. Sharon looks over at Andy and reaches her hand out, brushing his hair back from his face and stroking his cheek. He looks over at her and offers her a small smile, pressing a kiss to her palm.

* * *

[TBC]


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes:** Thanks to everyone that has reviewed the last few chapters, I know it's been a rough ride, but I think we're on a bit of an upswing here. And I hear email updates are back - so if for some reason you've not been able to keep up while they've been down you're probably going to need to back track a few chapters. Also, as much as I am able to learn about the late 80s/early 90s from the interwebs, airline prices were proving to be difficult to find info on. So if my suggestion for a budget seems outrageous, please excuse.

As always, please read, enjoy, and review :D

* * *

Andy sighs as he rolls over Sunday morning, reaching out to find Sharon's side of the bed empty. He opens his eyes and sighs as he looks at the clock, figuring he had missed her leaving for mass already. He rolls onto his back and stares up at the ceiling with heavy lids.

 _Selfish fuck…you don't deserve her faith_ , he thinks to himself before tossing the blankets aside and getting out of bed. He takes a quick shower and dresses in a pair of sweatpants and a plain undershirt before shuffling his way down towards the kitchen. He's surprised to hear the tv on and rounds the corner to the living room instead, finding Sharon sitting on the couch in her pajamas with Emily's head in her lap. There was a bowl of cut up fruit sitting next to her leg and both of them were eating out of it as they watched tv together.

"Hey, I thought you left for mass," Andy says as he cups the back of her head and presses a kiss to her temple.

"Nope, not going," Sharon says as she pops a grape in her mouth.

"You feeling okay?"

"Yeah, just don't feel like going this morning," Sharon says, looking up at him and offering a smile.

"Okay, Ricky still sleeping?"

"Mmhm."

"How about I start on breakfast then?" Andy offers.

"That sounds great," Sharon smiles. Andy smiles back and leans down to press a kiss to her lips before heading into the kitchen.

As the weeks passed he tended to find her on the couch on Sunday mornings with at least one of the kids, maybe on occasion getting back from a run with Lily. After a couple of weeks her rosary moved off the top of the dresser and into the jewelry box in her top drawer. He never asked why she stopped going, the two of them viewed their faith on such different levels that he wasn't sure he could help her even if she told him why.

For Valentine's Day he managed to arrange a sitter and a reservation at one of their favorite restaurants. He treated her to a nice dinner and dessert before taking her out to the beach, holding her heels in his hand as they walked through the sand. After walking away from the restaurant a bit Andy stops her and asks if she wants to sit.

"Sure," Sharon smiles, shifting up beach a little bit before sitting down in the sand. She stretches her feet out in front of her, watching Andy as he sets their shoes down before taking a seat next to her. Sharon leans into him as he wraps his arm around her shoulder, resting her hand on his thigh.

"Good night?"

"It's been a great night," Sharon assures him with a kiss to his jaw. She nestles her head into the crook of his shoulder and watches the waves roll in as she lets his body heat warm her. After a few minutes of silence she pipes up again and pulls back slightly so she can look at him, "Can I ask you a question?"

"Always," Andy says, his hand resting on her lower back.

"If I said that this…If I said that the miscarriage made me sure that I didn't want to have any more kids, no matter what our money situation was…would you be okay with that?" Sharon asks, "I know I said that I'd be willing to revisit the conversation, but going through that…going through that and even though I was happy about it did you ever think about the logistics of three kids, _five_ when we have Charlie and Nicole?"

"I was thinking about the high chair that morning," Andy replies, "That Ricky seemed to be to the point we could probably put him in one of the regular chairs. _Then the baby could have the high chair_. That's what I told myself after."

"I…so?"

"So we have four kids," Andy shrugs with a small smile.

"You sure you're okay with this?"

"Yeah," Andy nods. Sharon smiles and leans over, pressing a kiss to his lips. He tucks a loose curl behind her ear and strokes her cheek.

"You know this means you're getting a vasectomy right?" Sharon asks, arching her eyebrow at him. Andy takes a large gulp and shrugs.

"I figured."

"I'll buy you the biggest bag of frozen peas they have at the store," Sharon teases him before resting her head back on his shoulder. He rests his head on top of hers and threads his fingers through hers, pulling her hand to his mouth and pressing a kiss to the back of it. The two of them sit for a while longer before the temperature begins to drop and Sharon shivers against Andy's side. He squeezes her close and rubs his hand over her shoulder before getting up and offering a hand up.

Within the next week Sharon had scheduled an appointment for him at the doctor's office and by the end of the month he was sitting in the doctors office over his lunch hour proverbially getting his balls chopped off. He shuffles his way out into the waiting room after, wearing the sweatpants that Sharon had brought him and carrying his suit pants from work.

"How are you feeling?" Sharon asks as she puts the magazine she had been reading down before walking over to him and pressing a kiss to his cheek.

"I can't feel my balls right now, but I'm sure that will change," Andy grumbles with a small smile. Sharon smiles and walks him out to the car, opening the passenger side door before shutting it once he gets in. She takes him home and gets him settled in his recliner before bringing him a drink, bottle of pain killers, and a bag of frozen peas.

"I've got to get back to the office, but you should have everything you need here," Sharon says as she hands him the TV remote, "Take some of the pain killers in about an hour. I will call before I leave to pick up the kids, and I'm also planning on grabbing dinner on the way home."

"You're so good to me," Andy smiles. Sharon smiles back at him and sits on the arm of the chair as she runs her fingers through his hair.

"You're good to me," Sharon says as she strokes his cheek, "Thank you for doing this, and for everything you've done the last few weeks…I would be completely lost without you right now."

"You're stronger than you think," Andy reminds her.

"Sometimes," Sharon shrugs. She leans over and kisses him again before getting up from the arm of the chair, "I'll see you later. Call me if you need anything okay?"

"Yes, ma'am," Andy salutes. Sharon rolls her eyes before grabbing her purse and leaving the house again. Andy sighs and settles back in the chair before turning the tv on. He spends most of his afternoon in the chair, only getting up a few times to go to the bathroom and change out his ice pack. He hears the kids yelling when Sharon gets home later, their voices preceding their actual presence in the house.

"Dada!" Ricky yells as he runs across the room towards Andy.

"Ah ah ah!" Sharon yells as she kicks the door shut behind herself and Andy curls over trying to protect himself, "Freeze, Richard!"

Ricky comes to a standstill in the middle of the living room, his brown eyes wide as he looks at Andy.

"I told you two that Daddy has a booboo, you have to be gentle," Sharon reminds both of them as she sets the pizza boxes down on the coffee table.

"Oh," Ricky says, finishing his trip over to Andy at a slower pace, leaning over and pressing a kiss to his father's knee, "Hi Dada."

"Hi bubba," Andy says with a smile, ruffling the boy's hair. He shuffles over in the chair to make room for Ricky before patting the seat so he can climb up. He climbs up into the chair, sitting next to Andy and smiling up at him.

"Hi Daddy," Emily says as she leans against the arm of the chair, still dressed in her clothes from ballet.

"Hi Monkey," Andy greets, leaning over to press a kiss to her head, "How was ballet? Did you learn a lot?"

"Mmhm!" Emily nods, "Miss Sarah says that I can move up to the next class if I want to."

"She did? That's great," Andy's smile widens, "I'm proud of you."

"Thank you," Emily grins.

"Why don't you go get changed, baby?" Sharon says, nudging her daughter towards the hall. Emily bounces off towards her room to change out of her ballet gear as Sharon leans down and kisses Andy, "How are you doing?"

"Fine," Andy assures her, "Pizza smells good."

"I picked it up from that place you like," Sharon says before heading into the kitchen to get plates. She brings them out and sets them on the coffee table before hanging up her blazer and kicking out of her shoes. She lifts Ricky out of the chair and sits him down at the coffee table before getting him a small piece of pizza. Before he can dig his tiny fingers into the slice she strips his shirt off of him and tosses it on the couch.

"I talked to Vic today about vacation this summer," Andy says as he gets out of the chair and walks over to the table to grab his own pizza, "She said she was planning on taking the kids out to visit her parents in Jersey in June and if we wanted to go the week after she'd drive Char and Nicole up to the city so we could take them for a week and just bring them home with us."

"What week is she going?"

"Uh…3rd to the 10th," Andy says as he chews over his first bite, "We'd probably want to get there at some point on the 9th just in case so we're there before she leaves."

"Is that going to work with your mom?" Sharon asks as she gives Emily a plate and directs her to sit on the floor next to Ricky.

"She said whenever we wanted to come," Andy shrugs.

"We'd be there over Ricky's birthday," Sharon says as she grabs her own slice, "My parents could come down one day and we could throw a little party at your moms?"

"I'm sure she'd love that," Andy says. Sharon leans against the arm of the recliner as she eats, looking down at Andy.

"Do you want to look into tickets or do you want me to?"

"I can take care of it," Andy shakes his head, "What's our budget?"

"Ricky doesn't need a ticket he can sit on a lap," Sharon says, "I'd say if we can keep it under $700 that would be nice, we're booking early enough hopefully we should be okay.

"I'll try to make calls this week so we can get it scheduled and paid for," Andy says reaching out to grab an olive that had fallen onto Sharon's shirt, popping it in his mouth. Sharon laughs and reaches out, wiping sauce from the corner of his mouth, "So these new ballet classes…"

"Same time, same price, they just focus on new material," Sharon says as she pulls her hand back, "The teacher said probably 2-3 recitals per year instead though as they become more able to remember routines."

"That'll be good," Andy smiles. Sharon nods in agreement as she finishes her slice of pizza before putting her plate back on the table.

"I'm going to go shower, you got them for a few minutes?"

"Yeah we'll be fine."

* * *

[TBC]


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes:** Thanks to people for their reviews, this one cranked itself out this morning. Enjoy!

* * *

Andy picks up the phone as it rings, setting two bowls in front of Ricky and Emily. Sharon was already out and at work so he was responsible to get the kids breakfast and off to school.

"Hello?"

"Hi, I'm looking to speak with Andrew Flynn."

"Speaking," Andy says as he fills his own bowl with cereal before splashing milk over the top.

"Hi Mister Flynn, I'm calling from Doctor Hartwig's office to confirm your follow up appointment for Thursday afternoon?"

"Follow up appointment?" Andy says as he chews over a bite of cereal, "I don't think I need a follow up. Everything's been going fine. I don't really have any questions for the doctor."

"Would you like me to cancel your appointment?"

"Yeah, I'll call the doc if anything comes up," Andy says.

"Alright, I have cancelled your appointment for Thursday afternoon, let us know if you need anything else. Thank you."

"Thanks," Andy hangs up the phone before finishing his cereal. He takes the kids' bowls from them after a little bit before washing them out, "Em, what do you want for lunch?"

"Turkey cheese sandwich," Emily says, "And graham crackers."

"Rick, what about you?"

"Hmm?" Ricky says as he looks up at Andy.

"Lunch?"

"PBJ!" The little boy exclaims. Andy makes Emily's lunch and wraps it up with some graham crackers and veggies, dropping change in for a milk box. He zips up her bag and hands it to her before making Ricky's lunch, cutting the sandwich up into tiny triangles before adding graham crackers and veggies as well.

"Alright, everyone have their stuff?" Andy asks. Ricky climbs down from his chair and runs over to his bag, lifting it up to show Andy.

"Big bag!"

"Em?"

"My ballet bag is in Mommy's car."

"I'll pick it up when I go to work," Andy says as he tucks Ricky's lunch into his bag before putting it on his back. Emily slings her bag over her back, waiting as Andy gets his work gear out, putting his gun, cuffs, and badge on before opening the door, "Alright munchkins let's go."

"Go, go, go!" Ricky chants as he runs out to the car. Emily opens the back door for him and waits for him to climb in before getting in herself. Ricky climbs into his seat, waiting to be buckled in. Andy opens the back door to buckle him up before getting in to take them to school. He drops Emily off at her door, making sure she gets inside before driving around to the preschool. He throws the hazards on before getting Ricky out and handing him his bag as he walks him inside. He checks him in at the front desk before kissing his head and telling him goodbye.

"Mister Flynn?" The secretary asks.

"Yeah, that's me."

"The father wanted me to give this to Sharon, can you make sure this gets to her?"

"Sure," Andy nods, taking the proffered envelope from the older woman before heading back out to the car and going to work. He doesn't see Sharon until close to the end of the school day as she comes by his desk, "Hey, Emily said her bag was in your car?"

"It is, I was going to take a break for a little bit and walk her over to ballet. Are you going to be able to take them home tonight?"

"I've got a little bit more that I'm probably going to need to do," Andy says, "Just grab Rick on your way back and bring them up here, they can sit with me while I finish up. I'm assuming you're staying tonight?"

"Yeah, I have to," Sharon says with a tired tone.

"That's fine," Andy assures her, "We can survive without you."

"What every mother wants to hear," Sharon smiles. Andy rolls his eyes before grabbing the letter off his desk and handing it over to her.

"Oh the lady at the day care desk wanted me to give it to you."

"Thanks," Sharon says as she looks at the envelope before pushing herself up, "I'll see you in a little bit."

"Okay," Andy nods. Sharon offers him a small smile before heading out to her car. She grabs Emily's bag and makes her way down the street to the school to pick her up. Emily's face lights up when she comes out and sees Sharon waiting for her, running over to her mother to give her a hug.

"Hi darling," Sharon says as she leans down and kisses Emily's head, "You up for walking to ballet?"

"Yeah! Are you coming?"

"I am," Sharon smiles as she takes Emily's hand and starts walking towards the ballet studio with her, "Mommy needed to take a break at work."

"Is Daddy taking us home?"

"He is, but he has to stay at work a little later today so I'm going to take you and Ricky back with me and you can hang out at the station for a little bit."

"Can I get a snack from the vending machine?" Emily asks, bouncing on her feet. Sharon laughs and nods.

"I'm sure Daddy will get you a snack from the vending machine."

"Yes!" Emily grins. Sharon holds the door to the ballet studio open, letting Emily walk in first. She hands her daughter her bag and points her towards the dressing room, waiting outside for her to change. Emily comes out a few minutes later dressed in her ballet clothes, handing her bag up to Sharon, "Can you put my hair up?"

"Sure," Sharon nods, setting the bag down before turning Emily around to turn her ponytail into a bun. Once she's finished Emily takes off down the hallway towards her new ballet class, Sharon following behind at a more leisurely place. She greets the teacher and asks if it was alright if she sat in on the class that afternoon, taking a seat on the floor in the back of the classroom.

Sharon crosses her legs and leans against the wall, shifting her weight as she feels the letter in her back pocket dig into her back. She pulls it out and flips it over in her hand a few times before slipping her finger under the flap and opening it up. She pulls out the letter inside, taking her time to read it over before folding it up and putting it back in. She tucks it into Emily's bag and turns her attention to the class, watching the kids work through their lesson over the next hour.

Once they are finished Sharon thanks the teacher for letting her sit in before walking Emily back to the dressing room. The little girl changes back into her school clothes, not bothering to tuck in her shirt before she comes back out.

"Ready?" Sharon asks.

"Mmhm," Emily nods, taking her mother's hand again as they walk back to the school to pick up her little brother. Sharon takes Ricky's hand on her other side and walks the two of them back to the station and up to Andy's desk.

"Dada!" Ricky waves from across the squad room.

"Hey you two," Andy smiles and kisses each of the kids, "Did you guys have good days?"

"Mmhm, Mommy came and took me to my ballet lesson."

"That was nice of her," Andy grins and winks at Sharon.

"Icky draw!" Ricky says, informing them of what he had done that day.

"You'll have to show me what you drew today little man," Andy says as he ruffles the boy's hair, "Say bye to Mom, she has to get back to work."

Both of the kids tell Sharon goodbye before Andy settles them at the open desk next to him, giving both some blank paper and crayons from Ricky's backpack.

"Daddy?"

"Yeah, Em?"

"Can I go get a snack out of the vending machine?"

"Sure," Andy leans to the side to get his wallet out, giving the girl a dollar and pointing her in the direction of the vending machine out in the hall. Emily climbs out of her chair before taking the dollar and going out into the hall. She walks over to the vending machine and looks at her options before leaning up on her toes to feed the dollar into the slot.

Once the machine takes the dollar she stabs in the number for the snack she wanted. She watches as the holder turns a full rotation before her snack gets stuck. Emily frowns and bangs on the glass, trying to dislodge the snack cakes. When the cakes show no movement she tries shoving the machine, thumping her tiny body into the machine.

"Hey, hey, hey," An officer asks as he notices Emily abusing the machine, "What are you trying to do?"

"It stole my cakes," Emily points.

"Yeah it does that sometimes," The officer says, giving the machine a firmer push before the cakes drop down.

"Thanks," Emily says as she pushes the flap open to grab her treat. She stuffs her fingers in the change slot before putting it into the machine again. She presses the same buttons and smiles as another pack of snack cakes drops down. She grabs the change and smiles at the officer before heading back into the squad room.

Emily climbs back into her chair and hands a pack of cakes over to Ricky before using her teeth to open her own. Ricky watches her before trying to do the same, his tiny teeth not able to grip the plastic. He tries a few times before holding it out to Andy.

"Dada open!"

"What do you say?" Andy asks as he grabs the package.

"Pease!" Ricky grins.

"Good job," Andy says before opening up the packet and setting the two cakes out on a tissue for him.

"Fank you," Ricky says before picking one up and sinking his teeth into it. The kids sit quietly, eating their snacks as they color, waiting for Andy to finish. Once he finishes up his work he drops his files onto his CO's desk before telling the kids to get ready to go.

"How about spaghetti for dinner?" Andy asks as he helps them pack up.

"Yes!" Ricky agrees, "Lub sketti."

"Alright, spaghetti it is," Andy says before taking the kids home. He makes them spaghetti for dinner and gets them in the bath before tucking them into bed. He gets ready for bed himself, sinking into bed with Lily and a book, reading until he hears the front door. A few moments later Sharon appears in the doorway of the bedroom with her heels in one hand and her work bag in the other, "Hey I wasn't expecting you back tonight."

"We managed to get everything wrapped up," Sharon says as she puts her shoes in the closet and sets her bag down next to the dresser, "How were the kids?"

"Fine," Andy says as he closes his book and puts it on his night stand, "We had spaghetti for dinner with a snack cake appetizer."

"Sounds delicious," Sharon smiles as she sits on the edge of the bed, reaching out to ruffle Lily's ears.

"There's left overs if you're hungry?"

"I had something at work," Sharon shakes her head, "I am going to take a shower and then I'll join you?"

"Sounds great," Andy smiles. Sharon smiles back and winks before getting up and heading into the bathroom. Andy nudges Lily off the bed to her own bed by the closet, fluffing the covers before Sharon gets out of the shower. She steps back into the bedroom a few minutes later dressed only in her robe with her hair pulled back into a braid.

"How was your case?"

"Nothing special," Sharon says, "Although I don't think I've been told to 'Get Fucked' so many times in 48 hours."

Andy's eyes narrow and darken at her flippant remark and Sharon rolls her eyes as she digs in her bag before pulling out a box of condoms, tossing them onto his chest.

"You know I can handle myself. Though I do appreciate the macho look," Sharon says with a playful wave of her finger at his face as she shrugs her robe off before slipping into bed next to him, "Besides it gave me some inspiration."

"I thought I got my thing done so we didn't need these," Andy shakes the box at her.

"We use this box, and then we're good," Sharon says, grabbing the box and thumping him on the head with it.

"How many are in it?" Andy says.

"Mmm, 14."

"I guess," Andy grumbles playfully. Sharon smiles and drops the box on the bed, resting her chin on his chest as her hand rubs up and down his side.

"I've missed you," She murmurs, "And I do want to get back to normal. We just have a few more steps to get there."

"I know," Andy nods. Sharon smiles and leans up, kissing him softly.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

* * *

[TBC]


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes:** Here is a short chapter that picks up right after the last one, and includes some smutty Shandy. Thanks for the continued support and reviews. I enjoy them so much!

* * *

"I signed up to pick up a few patrol shifts," Andy says as he rubs his hand up and down Sharon's back, "Make a little extra money to take on vacation. It'd be once or twice a week, after work. I have the option to turn them down if I need to keep the kids or we're doing something."

"You don't have to do that," Sharon tells him as she sits up a little more, a pout on her lips.

"I want to, it's our first big vacation," Andy reminds her, "I want us to be able to enjoy ourselves."

"You're great," Sharon smiles as she kisses him. Andy wraps his arm around her and pulls her closer as he deepens the kiss. She hums and slips her hand under his t-shirt, running her fingers through his chest hair. She pushes his shirt up and off, tossing it onto the floor before running her mouth up his bare chest.

Sharon slings her leg over his hip, straddling him as she runs her nails up as well, digging in playfully. Andy lets out a groan as his hands slip up her thighs to clutch her hips in his hands. She hums and captures his lips with hers, biting on his bottom lip and pulling.

"I've missed this," Andy murmurs as he kisses her back hungrily, "I've missed you."

"I've missed you too," Sharon replies as she grinds down against Andy with a heady moan. His hands travel up from her hips to her breasts, cupping the heavy globes in his palms and rubbing his thumbs over her nipples as he massages them. She moans as her skin flushes, scraping her nails down his chest again.

"How are you so goddamn soft all the time?" Andy asks as he sits up, pushing her back onto the bed before latching his mouth to her neck. Sharon laughs as her legs wrap around his waist and she threads her fingers through his hair.

"A very extensive moisturizing routine, Mister Flynn," She murmurs as he continues to nip, lick, and kiss his way down her body. He makes his way down to her core, giving her a teasing swipe with his tongue and egging a loud moan out of her before he makes his way back up.

Sharon pushes him onto his back, flipping them over before straddling him again and grabbing the box of condoms. She works her thumb under the flap and tears the box open before fishing out one of the foil packets. She winks at Andy as she tosses the packet onto his chest before shifting her hips back so she can pull his sweats down. Pushing the pants off the bed with her foot she wraps her fingers around his erection, stroking him slowly a few times as she looks up into his eyes. Her tongue darts out and swipes over his head and she grins as he groans and thrusts his hips up. She grabs the condom and opens it up before slowly rolling it down over him, giving him a teasing squeeze when she's finished.

Sharon kisses her way back up his body and captures his lips as she straddles him. Her hips teasingly rock over him before she reaches down and guides him into her, slowly lowering herself down on him. Andy groans as he feels her stretch around him, giving her a moment to adjust as she takes him in to the hilt. She bites her lip and braces her hand on his abs as she starts to move, rocking her hips in a slow rhythm at first.

"God, Shar," Andy groans as he rocks his hips in time with hers. Sharon's nails dig into his skin as she speeds up her thrusts, whimpering as she moves. She slips her hand up his chest and tangles her fingers in his hair as she leans down and kisses him hungrily, moaning into his mouth. Andy's hands slip down her back and his fingers run along the notches of her spine before he cups her ass and pulls her rougher against him.

"Andy," Sharon whimpers, letting him guide their pace as she drops her forehead to rest against his chin, "Oh yes…"

For a moment the only sounds in the room were that of their quiet pants and moans, skin and sheets brushing against each other. Sharon breaks the filled silence by begging Andy for more, her voice deeper and raspier, as she drops her hips back against his in a quick pace.

"You feel so good," Andy murmurs in her ear as he shifts his foot placement, bracing himself against the headboard to get a better angle to move his hips against hers. Sharon moans as his angle shifts, biting down on his collarbone as he speeds up, his hips rocking into hers harder and faster, each thrust filling her up to the brim. Her bite deepens as her fingers tug at his hair, feeling her toes begin to curl as her stomach tightens, each thrust hitting the perfect spot inside her.

"Andyyy," Sharon moans into his chest as she sinks down against his entire length, feeling her release spread through her nerve endings as her muscles tighten around him. His continued movements keep her strung up on her high before she hears her name fall from his lips and he eggs out a few more jerky thrusts before sinking against the bed.

Sharon hums and peppers kisses along his chest, releasing his hair from her hands as she pushes herself up to look down at him. Andy gives her a dopey smile and she smiles back at him, capturing his lips as she slowly pulls herself off of him with a soft groan from both of them. Andy presses another kiss to her lips before mustering the energy to get out of bed and head to the bathroom. Sharon rights herself on the bed as he cleans up, stashing the condoms in Andy's bedside table before curling up on her side as she waits for him to return.

Andy steps back into the room a few moments later and turns the bathroom and bedroom light off before climbing into bed next to her. He playfully tugs on her braid as he shuffles closer, spooning up against her back. Sharon laughs and slaps at his thigh, settling against his chest before she looks back at him.

"Hi," Andy murmurs.

"Hi," She replies with a smile.

"I love you."

"I love you too," Sharon leans back to give Andy a kiss before settling into bed properly, threading her fingers with his as he wraps his arm around her. She lets out a loud yawn before closing her eyes with a soft sigh, already starting to drift off.

In the morning Sharon sends Andy off to work in jeans and a t-shirt, having the morning off from the overtime she'd put in that week. She gets the kids ready for school and takes them, finding a parking spot in the lot before heading inside to the actual church. She stops one of the nuns asking if Father Espinoza was in.

"He's sitting confession right now, should be done in the next half hour or so," The nun tells her, indicating the confessional on the other side of the room.

"Thank you," Sharon says, offering a small smile before walking over and taking a seat on the end of a pew close to the booth. Her hands lay folded in her lap as she drops her head back and stares at the ceiling taking in the intricate pattern that had been installed when it was built. After a few minutes her eyes close and she takes a deep breath, letting it out slowly.

"Sharon?" Sharon's head jerks up when she hears her name and she stands as she sees Father Espinoza walking over to her. She holds up the letter she had opened the afternoon before with a strained smile.

"I got your letter. Are you available?"

"Sure, sure, follow me to my office," The father says with a warm smile, directing her with a sweep of his arm. Sharon walks back to the small office with him, taking a seat in one of the chairs in front of his desk, "How have you been? It's been a while since I've seen you at mass."

"I didn't realize anyone was keeping count."

"You've been coming to mass here since you moved to Los Angeles. I can probably count on one hand the number of services you've missed," He says with a smile, "But coming to service isn't a requirement. I just realized I hadn't seen or heard from you in a while, and I was concerned."

"I think it's obvious what happened," Sharon says, her eyes straying from the warm brown ones in front of her, catching the calendar hanging on the back wall. She hadn't been to mass since the week before everything had fallen apart, it had been almost two months. Before this the most she had missed was a single Sunday here or there and she generally tended to attend on Wednesdays to make up for it.

"I'm sorry to hear that, it's a terrible loss to suffer…"

"I came to Mass every week, I confessed my sins, I've volunteered…I try to live a good life and raise good kids," Sharon says with a sharp tone as her eyes snap back to Father Espinoza, "But apparently that wasn't enough."

"Sometimes interventions aren't always positive," The father says after a moment, "Sometimes their lesson isn't always known immediately. And loss is always hard…"

"I _wanted_ her," Sharon says, her voice thick. She had never told Andy about the dreams that kept her awake some nights, thinking about their baby and what the future could have held. She always dreamt of a girl, "And He took her away. Because I was trying to be responsible and not have kids that I couldn't necessarily afford? Or because I'm seen as living my life in sin every day no matter how much I try to make up for it?"

"Sharon…" Father Espinoza protests as she pushes herself up from the chair.

"I can't do this right now," Sharon shakes her head and moves to leave.

"Sharon, I'm always here to talk, whenever you're ready," He reminds her before she can wrench the door open and rush out. She quickly makes her way out of the church, not stopping until she hits the front steps, taking a deep inhale before she lets out a single sob. She swipes at her face before making her way down the stairs and towards her car, trying not to burst into tears.

* * *

[TBC]


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes:** I believe we are on the way up from our dip into darkness. Let me know what your thoughts are and if there is anything in particular you are hoping to see. I'm thinking we'll be getting to their vacation to New York in the next few chapters.

Thanks again for reading! You guys are great!

* * *

Sharon pants as she makes her way down their block, trotting her way down to a walk as she approaches the house. Lily pants heavily beside her, her tongue hanging out of her mouth as they make their way up the walk. She unhooks the leash once she opens the door, letting Lily make a dash for her water bowl as she smiles at Andy as he makes his way down the hall.

"Morning," Sharon greets.

"Morning," Andy says as he runs his hand through his ruffled hair, "Good run?"

"Yeah," She nods as she steps closer and presses a kiss to his lips, "Let me take a quick rinse and then maybe we can have a cup of coffee before the kids get up?"

"Sure, I'll start the pot," Andy smiles sleepily. Sharon smiles back before heading down the hall. She takes a quick shower and dresses in one of Andy's Dodgers shirts along with a pair of leggings before heading to the kitchen. He hands her a cup of coffee and opens the back door, holding his arm out for her to go first. She steps out back and sinks into one of the lawn chairs before taking a sip of her coffee. Andy sits down next to her, sipping his own coffee before reaching out to take her hand.

"These Sunday mornings have been nice," Sharon comments after a few quiet moments. She looks over at Andy with a small smile on her lips as she squeezes his hand.

"They have been," Andy agrees setting his mug on the ground, "And not that I don't love the extra time with you but…why haven't you been going to mass?"

"What do you mean?" Sharon asks as her head tilts slightly.

"I mean you haven't been at least once in the last couple months. I saw the note from Father Espinoza in Emily's bag, it's obvious he's worried about you…" Andy starts watching as her eyes flick away from him, looking down as she takes a drink of her coffee before holding the cup in her lap, "You don't _have_ to go, it was just…sudden that you stopped."

"Because at least once a week I dream about her…" Sharon whispers staring into her coffee mug, "Because some days I feel so empty inside I want to die."

"Shar…" Andy says, getting out of his chair before kneeling in front of her. He takes the cup out of her lap and wraps his hands around hers, getting her to look him in the eye.

"I tried to talk to him the other day…and I only got angry," She tells him with a sad look in her eyes, "I don't know what to do to get this feeling to go away. I don't know that I want it to…it's the only thing I have of her."

"Come're," Andy says, standing before pulling her into his arms. She wraps her arms around his waist and hugs him close as she buries her face into his chest. His hand rubs up and down her back as he presses a kiss to her head, "I didn't think you were still so torn up about this, why didn't you say anything?"

"I didn't know how to put words to it…even the ones that I am, they don't seem right," She says shifting her head so she can look up at him, "I'm angry. Angry at God for taking her away, angry at myself for not being able to hold on…and then there's Emily and Ricky and you, and I feel bad about being angry. Like some petulant child that didn't get what they wanted. Because I have you guys right here and you're so perfect and amazing…"

Andy takes a deep breath and pushes a damp curl back from her forehead, brushing his thumb over her cheek as her brow furrows. The two of them stand in silence for a few moments before Andy opens his mouth to speak only to clamp it shut a moment later.

"What?" Sharon asks.

"I know someone that you might be able to talk to...I just don't know that you're going to want to," Andy offers.

"Who?"

"Vicky," Andy clarifies with a sigh and a shrug, "Before we had Nicole when we first got married. I didn't know about it until Charlie was on his way."

"What did you do?"

"Drank," Andy says bluntly, "Why do you think I'm shit at dealing with this stuff sometimes. Only other times I dealt with it, I could drink it away. But I'm sure she'd be willing to have lunch or a glass of wine or something, if you wanted to talk."

"Maybe," Sharon says.

"I just don't want you to be so...hung up makes it sound like you're blowing it out of proportion...I just want you to feel better."

"I know, I do too," Sharon sighs as she rests her head on his chest again for a moment before she hears Ricky yelling through the house for her, "I'm going to grab him. You want to get me the stuff out for pancakes?"

"Sure," Andy nods, giving her one more squeeze before letting her go.

Later in the morning, Sharon squeezes Andy's shoulder as she walks up behind him in the backyard. He looks up at her and smiles, reaching up to cover her hand.

"Hey."

"Hey, I just got off the phone with Vicky…we're going to grab lunch. I offered that they could come over for a cookout tonight, so her and Dan were going to bring the kids over and he was going to hang out here with you while we're gone," Sharon tells him and Andy groans.

"I don't want to hang out with Dan."

"Andy…get to know the guy. More likely than not he's going to end up being Nicole and Charlie's stepfather," Sharon admonishes, "It won't kill you to spend a couple hours with him every now and then."

"I guess," Andy grumbles before sighing and looking up at Sharon with softer eyes, "So you're going to lunch?"

"Yeah," Sharon nods with a strained smile, "It'll be good."

"It will be," Andy nods in agreement, giving her hand another squeeze before letting her go. Sharon steps into the house and makes her way back to the bedroom, changing from her leggings and t-shirt into a sundress and a cardigan. She puts on a pair of flats before going back to the back yard, taking a seat on Andy's lap and watching the kids play until they hear the doorbell.

"I'll get it," Sharon says, kissing Andy's cheek before getting up and going inside. She checks the peephole before opening the door and smiling at the group on the other side, "Hey you guys!"

"Sharon!" The kids exclaim before tackling Sharon with hugs.

"Hi," Sharon hugs them tight before letting them go, "Your dad is out back with Em and Ricky."

"Bye Mom!" Nicole and Charlie yell before running out back. Sharon laughs and rolls her eyes before smiling at Vicky and Dan.

"Dan, it's good to see you. How have you been?"

"Good, no complaints," Dan smiles and kisses Sharon's cheek, "Thanks for having us over."

"No problem," Sharon says before shutting the door behind them, "Let me show you out to the back yard, and then we can get going, Vicky."

"Sure," Dan nods. Sharon walks him out to the back yard, letting him know that he could help himself to anything in the fridge before leaning down to kiss Andy's cheek.

"We'll be back later."

"Okay, have a good time," Andy smiles, turning his head to capture her lips in a quick kiss before letting her go. Sharon walks back into the house and heads outside with Vicky.

"Where do you want to go?" Sharon asks as she walks around to the passenger side of Vicky's car.

"What about that Mediterranean place on Sunset? It's quiet, they have wine."

"Sounds good to me," Sharon smiles as she gets in, pulling her seatbelt on. The first few minutes of the drive are quiet before she breaks the silence, "How are things going with Dan?"

"Really good," Vicky smiles, "He loves the kids. They seem to like having him around. It's nice having someone there you know?"

Sharon nods and smiles, the conversation beginning to flow easier between the two. The two of them end up at the restaurant, sitting tucked away in the corner and talking over lunch and a couple glasses of wine. They hit a few rocky moments, their voices lowering and their eyes tearing up, but before they know it a few hours had passed and Sharon's eyes widen as she looks at her watch.

"Oh god, we've been here for three hours," Sharon says as Vicky drains the rest of her wine.

"Mmm, Andy's probably killed Dan," Vicky chuckles.

"And made the kids help him dig a hole in the back yard," Sharon laughs softly before shaking her head and drinking the small amount of wine left in her glass, "This has been…It's been really helpful, thank you for being willing to talk about all of that again."

"It's a process," Vicky says putting her card down for their lunch bill, "But it _does_ get better. Church can help, I regained a lot of faith after working through things. It's still not as important to me as it seems to be to you, but it can help. And I'm always available to talk…"

"Yeah that's the one thing about Gavin," Sharon says with a smile, "We can talk about everything else, but women's issues are a little over his head."

"They're over a lot of people's heads," Vicky says, "People don't talk about this stuff enough…"

"No they don't," Sharon agrees as she stands, grabbing her purse and slinging it over her shoulder.

"Is there anything that we need to grab on the way back?" Vicky asks after putting her card back in her wallet and following Sharon out to the car.

"No, I just went to the store yesterday," Sharon says as they walk, "As long as burgers are okay?"

"Totally fine. I'm sure the kids will be thrilled," Vicky smirks as they get into the car. Once they get home Sharon leads Vicky out back and finds the guys playing soccer with the kids. Both of the women laugh and watch their significant others run around the small yard after the yelling and squealing kids.

"Mama!" Ricky yells, the first one to get distracted by their new guests, abandoning the ball and running over. Sharon smiles and sweeps him up into her arms, peppering his cheek with kisses.

"Hi my darling!"

"Hey, we were getting worried," Andy says as he walks over, pressing a kiss to Sharon's cheek.

"Time just got away from us," Sharon smiles reassuringly.

"I'll get the grill started if you want to start making burgers?" Andy suggests.

"Sure," Sharon nods, putting Ricky on her hip before heading inside, "You can help me make some dinner, little man."

Later in the evening after seeing Vicky, Dan, and the kids off and putting Emily and Ricky to bed Sharon steps up to the sink to wash off their dishes from the evening. Andy steps up behind her and puts his hands on her hips, pressing a soft kiss to her neck before resting his head on her shoulder.

"So, how was your lunch?"

"It was good," Sharon says, resting her head against his, "I don't know how, but I feel better…I really do."

"I'm glad," Andy murmurs. He continues to hold her as she washes the dishes, pulling her closer after she turns the water off. She smiles slightly and rubs her hands over his before turning around in his hold, looping her arms around his neck.

"Thank you, for telling me," Sharon says, "Having someone to talk to, who gets it…it's the lightest I've felt in weeks…"

"Like I said, I just want you to feel better," Andy replies with a shrug.

"I do, and talking to Vicky today made me realize that there are conversations that aren't being had…openly," Sharon says, her nails gently scratching the back of Andy's neck, "And I want to help people have those conversations…I don't know where or how, but I just need to do something."

"I wouldn't expect any less," Andy says as he studies her eyes. It took him a few months of being with her, being close to her, to realize how expressive her eyes really were, he could see the gold flecks returning along with the warm green that had disappeared all those weeks ago. Sharon smiles as she looks up at him.

"Really?"

"Really," Andy agrees, squeezing her, "You are such a warm, open, caring person, of course you want to help other people. That's what makes you great."

"Oh so I'm great?"

"You are very great and you can do whatever you put your mind to," Andy smiles leaning down and kissing her. Sharon laughs softly and drops her head to his chest as she hugs him tight.

"Thank you."

* * *

[TBC]


	18. Chapter 18

**NOTES:** Here's a little bit of a Mother's Day chapter with an interesting turn of events at the end :D

* * *

"Should we put chocolate chips in Mom's pancakes?" Andy asks the kids as he pours pancake batter into the pan.

"No, blueberries," Emily says as she stands on her toes to look into the pan.

"Okay, go grab them out of the fridge," Andy tells her as he sets the bowl down, "Rick, how we coming with the picture?"

"Petty pisha!" Ricky says as he colors at the kitchen table. Emily nudges Andy with the blueberries, climbing up on her stool to plop a few of the berries in the pancakes. Andy finishes making the batter before grabbing a plate down from the cupboard. He puts a couple pancakes on the plate, adding bacon and some eggs before going to grab the lap tray that they had. He puts the plate on, adding a couple small glasses of orange juice along with a mug of coffee.

"Alright, Em, grab the bag and the flowers," Andy tells her, "Ricky, grab your picture."

"Goddit!" Ricky says, holding the piece of paper up as he climbs down. Emily grabs the small gift bag off the table along with the bouquet of flowers Andy had gone out to get earlier. He nods the kids down the hallway, following behind them with the tray. Ricky pushes the door open once they get to the bedroom, walking around to Sharon's side of the bed where she was still sleeping.

"Mommy," Emily says to wake Sharon up as she sets the flowers down on her mother's bedside table. Ricky reaches up and taps Sharon on the leg, waiting for her to wake up.

"Momma!"

"Mmmm," Sharon hums as she stretches her legs out before opening her eyes, "Good morning my darlings."

"Happy Mother's Day!" The two of them yell in chorus.

"Thank you," Sharon smiles, reaching out to give both of them a tickle.

"We made you breakfast!" Emily says.

"You did?" Sharon asks, sitting up against her pillows and shuffling over a bit more to give the kids room to climb up.

"We did," Andy says as he sets the tray in her lap before helping Ricky climb onto the bed. Ricky sits on one side as Emily sits on the other, holding the gift bag up to Sharon.

"Daddy also helped us pick out a present."

"That was nice of him," Sharon smiles as she takes the bag, looking up at Andy. He winks at her before sitting down on his side of the bed. Ricky stuffs his picture into Sharon's lap as well before reaching out and grabbing a pancake immediately biting into it. She laughs and kisses his head before puling the tissue paper out of the bag, tossing it playfully at Emily before reaching in to grab the gift that had been placed inside.

Sharon unwraps a small angel from the tissue paper, holding it carefully in her hand as she looks at it. The stone was a rose, terra-cotta color and the carving was simple, giving the angel a serene look on her tiny face as she cradled a silver glazed heart in her hands. Her thumb brushes gently over the stone before she looks up at Andy, offering him a watery smile.

"You like it?" Andy asks.

"I love it," Sharon says earnestly, "How did you know about angels?"

"Know?"

"I have a couple of them in a box somewhere that my grandmother gave me when I was younger," Sharon says, pressing a kiss to Emily's head as she wraps an arm around her daughter, "I always wanted more…"

"It just seemed like you," Andy shrugs with a smile.

"Well thank you, all three of you," Sharon says as she lets Emily go before kissing Ricky on the head as well. She reaches out and sets the angel on her bedside table, next to the flowers before bunching up the paper and stuffing it back into the bag. Andy leans over and kisses her before getting up from the bed.

"You enjoy breakfast with these two rugrats, I am going to go clean up the kitchen real quick and then I need to get into the shower."

"You have to work?"

"Yeah," Andy nods, "It's a short shift, I'll be back by dinner and I already have lunch ready for you guys in the fridge."

"You're too amazing," Sharon tells him with a soft smile. He winks at her before leaving her and the kids alone in the bedroom. The three of them share the breakfast that Andy had plated up before Sharon sets the tray to the side and wraps her arms around both of the kids, hugging them close, "Oh I love you two."

"I love you too Mommy," Emily says, shifting her body so she was laying against Sharon looking up at her, "You're the best mommy ever."

"Oh yeah?"

"Mmhm," Emily giggles and grins as Sharon's fingers tickle along her side. Sharon looks up when Andy comes into the bedroom, partly dressed in his uniform with a frown on his face.

"What's wrong?"

"Have you seen my pins?" Andy asks, pointing to his collar where his Sergeant pins were missing, "I had them a couple weeks ago, but I don't know what happened to them."

"I might have forgotten to put them back on, check in the laundry room on the shelf," Sharon offers. Andy nods and heads back down the hallway towards the laundry room. He finds the silver pins sitting on the shelf above the washer.

"Found em!" He calls out before fastening them into his collar and starting to button up and tuck in his outfit. He flips his tie together and clips it down before walking back to the bedroom to grab his shoes, "So what do you guys think you're going to do today?"

"Mmm, I should probably call my mom here soon, but I think we've got quite the lazy day ahead of us."

"Well if anyone deserves it it's you," Andy smiles. He sits down on the edge of the bed to put his shoes on, lacing them up before he reaches out and tickles Emily, "You two don't give your mom too hard of a time."

"We won't."

"Good," Andy smiles, kissing both of the kids on the head before kissing Sharon on the lips, "I love you."

"I love you too," Sharon smiles.

"Have a good day."

"You too," She says, stroking his cheek before pushing him away. Andy grabs the breakfast tray and carries it into the kitchen, depositing the dishes into the dishwasher before grabbing the rest of his things and heading out for the morning, "Alright. Let me shower and call grandma, and then we can snuggle up on the couch and watch a movie. Sound good?"

"Yea!" Ricky pipes up, "Moobie."

"Alright," Sharon picks him up and moves him over to Emily's side before getting out of bed and heading into the bathroom to shower. After cleaning up and taking the time to call her mom, the three of them settle on the couch to watch a movie. The kids end up falling asleep part of the way through and Sharon sighs softly as she closes her own eyes, enjoying the moment to relax. They all end up taking a short nap before the silence in the house is interrupted by the phone ringing. Sharon untangles herself from the kids and walks over to the phone, yawning softly as she picks up the receiver, "O'Dwyer…mmhm…mmhm…I'll have to bring the kids with…Okay, I'll be there as soon as I can."

"Who was that?" Emily asks as she peaks over the back of the couch as Sharon hangs up the phone.

"That was work," Sharon says, "Mommy has to go in for a little bit, but I'm going to take you two with me."

"Ooh, do we get to see Daddy?"

"I don't think we'll get to see Daddy," Sharon says as she heads down the hall to get changed into some semblance of work attire. She comes back out a little bit later and grabs her things out of the lock box, "Em get your shoes on."

"Okay," Emily climbs off the couch and goes to the front door to put her shoes on. Sharon grabs Ricky's and puts them on the sleeping boy's feet before picking him up carefully and holding him to her shoulder. She grabs her bag and Ricky's backpack, knowing it had the more entertaining contents of the two, before sending Emily out to the car and locking up the house.

Once they get to the scene Sharon flashes her lights before pulling under the tape and parking. She turns the engine off, rolls the windows down, and leaves the radio on before turning around to look at Emily.

"What are the rules when you ride with me?"

"Stay in the car no matter what," Emily says, "But yell if we need anything."

"Good girl," Sharon smiles, "There's some snacks in your brothers bag, I shouldn't be too long."

"Okay," Emily smiles before looking out the window at the officers milling around the scene and pointing when she sees Andy leaning against a squad car, "Ooh there's Daddy!"

Sharon looks over her shoulder and lets out a groan before grabbing her things and getting out. She walks over to the other FID officers that were already on scene, asking to be caught up.

"Officers Morales and Davidson responded to a panic button press from the liquor store, when they arrived they found the victim in the middle of an attempted robbery. He began to flee on foot and did not respond to officer requests to stop, at which point Officer Davidson fired his weapon shooting and killing the victim. Shot to the leg and back, he bled out before paramedics arrived."

"Does our victim have a name?"

"No ID on the body, even though the store clerk knew the guy from his frequent visits, he doesn't have a name."

"And why are Sergeant Flynn and his young charge here?"

"Sergeant Flynn and Officer Johnson were nearby as well when the 911 call went out, they pulled up as the officers were in pursuit."

"Alright," Sharon sighs and looks around, "Michaels, will you make sure we document the scene and get as many pictures as we can. Malcom, will you start gathering official statements from everyone, I want individuals, no group statements. And can one of you radio back to the office and make sure I get all of the jackets of the officers involved pulled before we get back."

"Sure."

"Thank you," Sharon says, chancing a glance at Andy before walking over to the sheet covered blob on the far edge of the parking lot. She talks to the coroner for a moment before leaning down and lifting the sheet away from the body. Her eyes take in the gunshots first before her eyes flick to the face of the victim, instantly widening before she drops the sheet and stands up. She raises a shaky hand to her mouth before turning on her heel and walking over to Michaels and Malcom, "Do one of you have your radio on you?"

"Yeah," Malcom says, unhooking his radio from his belt before handing it over. Sharon turns the volume back up and calls into dispatch, asking for another FID officer to be called in to replace her.

"Lieutenant Carrey is en route, please stay at the scene until he arrives."

"Copy that," Sharon says before turning the volume down and handing it back.

"Why did you call Carrey in?" Michaels asks.

"Conflict of interest," Sharon replies.

"Sergeant Flynn isn't directly involved in the shooting," Malcom replies, "And you've handled his cases before."

"No, but they shot my ex-husband," Sharon says with a less than amused tone as she leans against the patrol car.

* * *

[TBC]


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes:** Glad I managed to surprise some of you with the last chapter! This is going to play out in the background for a bit, but I wanted to get it out there.

Also - I had to go back to work today 😭 but it was great to crank out 10 chapters in a week, I hope you guys enjoyed! I'll be back down to around 2/week for a bit, I have a long weekend at the end of the month that might bring a heavy chapter release.

Please continue to let me know what you guys think, I love hearing from you and it will definitely make being at work all the more bearable to see those reviews come in.

* * *

"Mama I'm hungry," Emily says as she sticks her head out the window of the car.

"I know honey, we're almost done," Sharon says with a sigh. She'd been planning on being off scene within an hour tops, yet after the revelation that the victim was Jack they had been stuck at the liquor store for the better part of four hours.

"That's what you said _hours_ ago," Emily says, exasperated. Sharon throws her an unamused look before standing up straighter as the Lieutenant who had been called in her place walks over.

"Lieutenant Carrey, is there anything else that I can do for you this afternoon?"

"I don't think so Sergeant, Michaels, Malcom, and I are going to get this finished up," The Lieutenant says, "I don't expect that we should need anything from you or Sergeant Flynn to complete the investigation."

"Thank you, sir," Sharon nods.

"Do you have any contact information for your ex's next of kin?"

"I don't, I got rid of it after we got divorced. His mother is still alive, Helen Raydor…She lives in Palm Beach, last I knew."

"Thanks, have a good evening Sergeant," Lieutenant Carrey waves before returning to the scene. Andy walks over a few moments later and sighs as he leans against the car.

"I'm going to go back to the station with Johnson, get my car and head home."

"Okay, the kids are about ready to eat each other, I'm going to pick up dinner on the way home."

"Sorry, if I'd realized who…I wouldn't have let them call you," Andy says.

"It's not your fault," Sharon says with a bemused smile, "For once."

"Oh ha ha," Andy says. Sharon laughs and winks at him.

"Daddy tell Mommy to feed us!" Emily yells from the car.

"Mommy, feed the kids," Andy says.

"Yes, sir," Sharon salutes before Andy opens the car door for her. She gets in and turns the engine over, thanking him as he shuts the door. She pulls away from the scene and gets back onto the street, heading towards home. She stops off at a restaurant on the way, picking up dinner for the four of them and giving Emily and Ricky a snack for the rest of the ride.

Once they're home she sits down at the table with them, getting them fed their dinner before Andy gets home. She sends them outside to play since they'd been cooped up all day before making her own plate and making one for Andy as well. He groans as he undoes his tie and the first couple buttons of his shirt before sinking down in the chair next to her.

"Well…that was quite the day."

"We have quite the…history with unexpected days," Sharon says with a dry laugh as she stabs a piece of pasta with her fork, "God I haven't talked to him since the divorce was finalized. I figured when he came back it meant he was willing to get better…he must have just gone downhill after we stopped talking."

"How are you doing?" Andy asks, thinking about how he would feel if Vicky died. They weren't exactly parallel relationships. Jack abandoned Sharon and Emily, and with the amicable division of assets really had no reason to talk to Sharon anymore. That didn't mean that there weren't any feelings involved, the two had spent at least a decade of their life loving each other.

"I don't know…I let the idea of Jack go a long, long time ago," Sharon shrugs, "I'd say I'm shocked more than anything, but I don't feel pain or anything. I mean I feel bad for his family, they lost a son, a brother, a uncle…but I lost an ex husband that I hadn't talked to for the better part of two years who stole and gambled away my money. Does that make me a bad person?"

"No, not at all," Andy shakes his head, "It's very understandable. You and Jack went through a lot of shitty stuff together."

"That we did," Sharon agrees before finishing up her pasta. She dishes out another small helping and sighs as she drops her feet into Andy's lap. He wraps his hand around her left foot, squeezing gently.

"I think that was probably my last patrol shift for a while," Andy offers with a shrug and a smile, "Apparently I get into a lot of trouble."

"You? Never," Sharon grins.

"Anyway, we managed to save up a decent amount for vacation," Andy says, "We'll be able to do some fun stuff with the kids, maybe take them to a couple museums, Statue of Liberty…"

"We would have had fun anyway," Sharon points out, "But I appreciate you putting in the extra effort so we can do those extra things."

"Just making sure," Andy smiles. He finishes his dinner and drops his fork onto the plate with a sigh. Sharon finishes her second helping as well and stacks her dishes with his, "Besides the deviation from the schedule earlier today…did you have a good Mother's Day?"

"I did," Sharon smiles, "Thank you for this morning. It was lovely."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it," Andy smiles, leaning over and pressing a kiss to her lips. Sharon hums and kisses him back gently before pulling away. Andy clears their dishes so she can go out back and join the kids, spending the remains of the day playing outside with them. They both get them bathed and tucked into bed after the sun goes down, retiring to bed themselves. Sharon takes a breath of the flowers on her bedside table after dressing in her pajamas before sitting down and admiring the angel again. Andy takes a shower and comes back out into the bedroom, noticing Sharon's focus, "Penny for your thoughts?"

"I…just thinking about the day," Sharon says. Andy takes a seat next to her, resting a hand on her leg.

"What about it?"

"Emily and I spent two years with Jack…not once did he ever do anything for me for Mother's Day," Sharon says with a shrug, "It's just odd. He was so excited about Emily when I was pregnant, but after she was born…he was terrified of her."

"Emily's hardly what I would consider terrifying," Andy says with a laugh.

"Mmm, you'd be surprised how much she took after you those first couple years," Sharon smiles, "So our angel…"

" _Our_ angel?"

"Mmhm, our angel," Sharon says picking up the statuette, cradling it in her hands, "What do we name her?"

"She needs a name?"

"Of course she needs a name," Sharon says, looking over at him, "All angels need names."

"Hmm," Andy hums as he lays back across the bed, his hand resting on Sharon's back, "Lucy?"

"No, she doesn't look like a Lucy…" Sharon shakes her head, "Sarah…she looks like a Sarah."

"Sarah sounds like a good name," Andy agrees, "Means 'princess' you know?"

"I did know that, how did you know?" Sharon asks as she looks at Andy.

"When Vicky was pregnant with Nicole she poured over one of those baby name books for weeks…we had to find the perfect name," Andy says, "She made me look at it too…I kinda skimmed over it, only really remember a few of them. Sarah was one that I liked. Abigail was a favorite of mine too."

"Father's joy," Sharon smiles.

"Mmhm," Andy nods. Sharon puts the angel back before smacking Andy on the stomach.

"Ow!"

"You're on my side," She says with a grin.

"What happened to loving each other."

"That does not transfer to sides of the bed," Sharon says seriously, pushing him.

"Alright, alright, I'm moving," Andy says, pushing himself up off the bed before going around to the other side. Sharon settles on her side before turning the light off with a soft sigh. She snuggles back into Andy and closes her eyes as Andy's arm wraps around her waist. How had everything changed so much in a few years, she'd come out the other end of their relationship relatively clean and Jack…Jack was dead.

The next morning once she makes her way into the office Sharon stops by the Lieutenant's desk, asking about the progress on the case. The two spend a few moments talking, the Lieutenant filling her in that so far he couldn't see any wrong doing on the officers part, before they're interrupted by their Commander coming by.

"O'Dwyer, do you have a couple minutes?"

"Yes, sir," Sharon nods, following him into his office, shutting the door quietly behind herself. She steps closer to his desk, not moving to take a seat as she stands in front of his desk, "Sir, I am so…"

"You're not getting chewed out, take a seat," The Commander says. Sharon steps forward and takes a seat, folding her hands in her lap as she watches the older man shuffle through some papers before starting to talk, "You've been here what…two years?"

"A little shy of that but yes," Sharon nods.

"You've been doing well…the detectives look up to you, the rest of the group comes to you to get your opinion, you've put through five code changes in the last year alone," He points out, "You did well in New York, represented the department well, we got a lot of great feedback on the presentation we gave. And yesterday…I don't know how many officers I would trust to call in a conflict of interest and stay on scene for as long as you did. On Mother's Day none the less, why didn't you say anything?"

"My shifts are my shifts, sir. There are plenty of uninterrupted weekends I have with the kids," Sharon says with a small shrug, "Besides I've taken plenty of personal days lately and people picked up the slack from those…"

"You've been doing a good job, is my point," The Commander points out, "Which is why I'm putting in for your promotion to Sergeant II. It comes with a couple extra vacation days, and I'm recommending a 10% raise, but it'll probably get knocked down to around 7 or so."

"I…Thank you sir," Sharon says, stunned, "I wasn't expecting anything like that…"

"Well I know you're going on vacation here soon, so I figured it'd be better to do your review before than after," The Commander smiles before handing over a folder to Sharon, "Take that to HR and they'll get you processed."

"I will, thank you again," Sharon says as she stands up, holding the folder in her hands.

"Keep up the good work. You might run this place some day…and I'm not just talking about FID," The Commander tells her with an arched eyebrow.

* * *

[TBC]


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes:** This chapter is a smidge of a deviation from the others as we mostly focus on Andy, which we don't really have a tendency to do.

Also, to the Guest reviewer asking how far I plan to go with this fic: I definitely have plans for a future, I have a little timeline at the end of my document that's currently labeled up to 2009 with some gaps in it (keep in mind it's currently ~mid May 1991), potentially even further depending on when/how/if I decide to integrate Rusty (I still haven't decided this though). As long as you guys keep reading and are interested in continuing to follow these guys I can definitely keep writing.

 **Question:** Can I get a show of hands of people that might be interested in chapters occasionally touching on more historical (Mostly LA centric) topics like the Riots and OJ?

As always, please read and review. Thanks! :)

* * *

Andy steps into the church and looks around for moment before heading towards the offices, his feet thudding gently against the floor as he walks. He keeps following the doors before he finds the one labeled with Father Espinoza's name, rapping his knuckles against the wood to announce his presence before he sticks his head in the partially open door.

"Father?"

"Andy," Father Espinoza smiles, waving him in as he stands from his desk, "It's been a while, how are you?"

"I'm doing okay, do you have a few moments?" Andy asks as he steps into the office, "There was something I was hoping to get your opinion on."

"Of course, what can I help you with?" The father nods, taking a seat again. Andy sits down in the chair across from him and sighs as he leans back in the chair, scratching the side of his head.

"Um…annulments, what exactly do I need to do?" Andy asks, "I mean…what's the process?"

"You're looking to get an annulment of your first marriage?"

"I'm looking into it…I want to marry Sharon," Andy admits, "And I know that she's…not really coming to Mass right now, but her faith is important to her no matter what."

"Things have been going well between you two?"

"Yeah," Andy nods with a goofy smile on his lips, "Really well."

"Well, I can walk you through what the general process is and give you some of the initial paperwork if you want to start filling it out. It can be a lengthy process, though," The priest warns, "On average they take about ten months in my experience. And cost runs around $600. You will need to retain legal council for the process, as well."

"I can do that," Andy nods.

"Alright," Father Espinoza says with a smile before standing up to grab a folder out of his file cabinet, bringing it back over to his desk. He sits on the same side as Andy before opening the file and starting to walk him through the process. Andy gets out his work notepad, taking notes as the priest talks before he notices that an hour had passed and he needed to get back to work.

"I, uh, need to head back. Can I take this with me?"

"Sure," Father Espinoza nods, packaging the material back up before handing it to Andy, "I'm here to answer questions as you need."

"Thank you, for taking the time to do this."

"No problem, that's what I'm here for," Father Espinoza says before standing and showing Andy out. Andy carries the file back to work, stuffing into his desk before getting back to work. Later in the evening he sits down at his desk with a cup of coffee and pulls the folder out as he dials the house.

"Hello?" Sharon answers.

"Hey it's me," Andy says, wedging the phone to his shoulder as he looks through the stuff in the file.

"Hey," Sharon replies, her smile filtering through the phone, "Late night?"

"Yeah I'm going to be here for a while," Andy sighs as he leans back in his desk chair, "Kids in bed already?"

"They are, they missed you tonight," Sharon hums as he hears something scoot across the floor in the background.

"What are you doing?" Andy arches his eyebrow as he takes a drink of his coffee.

"Going through baby clothes," Sharon says as she lets out a huff and another scoot filters through, "The women's shelter is doing a clothing drive, and they said they needed kids stuff. I figured we're not using it anymore."

"Yeah, no, go ahead," Andy says shaking his head.

"I'm pulling out a few things that are sentimental, but otherwise," Sharon lets out a sound before sighing, "I'll need you to load it into the car though. Whenever you get a chance."

"Sure."

"Everything okay?" Sharon asks, a concerned lilt to her voice. Andy's eyes snap away from the paper in front of him and he sighs as he closes the folder again.

"Yeah, yeah, everything's fine. Just a long day," Andy comments, "I should get back. I just wanted to call and make sure everything was ok at home, talk to you for a little bit."

"Okay, I miss you."

"I miss you too," Andy smiles, "I'll see you later...hopefully I get out before the morning."

"Wake me up when you get home," Sharon tells him, "I love you."

"I love you too," Andy murmurs before hanging up the phone. He stuffs the folder back in his desk and sighs before draining his coffee. He doesn't make it home until early in the morning, pulling into the driveway as the sun starts to peek over the horizon. He steps out of the car and sighs as he trudges towards the door, unlocking it and stepping inside quietly.

Andy drops the folder on the table by the front door before kicking his shoes off and locking up his gun. He makes his way down the hallway, loosening his tie and unbuttoning his shirt before sneaking into the bedroom. Sharon hums and stretches out as he sits down on the edge of the bed, reaching out to rub Andy's back.

"Are you just getting home?" She murmurs sleepily.

"Yeah, long night. Cap sent us home to get some sleep...I gotta go back later this morning though," Andy says, looking back at her. His eyes soften as he takes in her form, bundled up in an old t-shirt of his under the blankets and wild curls falling into sleepy green eyes.

"Get in here," Sharon mumbles, tugging on the back of his shirt. Andy shrugs his button up shirt off and kicks his pants off before climbing into bed next to her. She hums happily and snuggles up to his chest, wrapping her leg around his, "Missed you."

"Missed you too," Andy says, running his fingers through her hair as he closes his eyes with a heavy sigh. The two of them get a couple hours of sleep before the alarm goes off. Sharon reaches out to slap it before snuggling up to Andy again and wrapping her arm around him to hug him close.

"Robbins is giving me my sergeant two promotion," Sharon says, not lifting her head from his chest as she holds him, "Couple extra vacation days, little bit of a pay bump."

"Good for you," Andy compliments in a quiet voice, his excitement evident through the sleepiness, giving her a small squeeze, "When did he tell you?"

"Yesterday when I got in."

"Movin on up."

"Mmhm," Sharon hums before pushing herself up into more of a sitting position, "I've got to get the kids going, do you want me to make you something to eat?"

"I wouldn't turn down some eggs," Andy says as he looks up at her.

"Okay, I'll yell when they are ready," Sharon smiles before leaning down and pressing a kiss to his lips. She pulls back after indulging for a moment and gets out of bed, shrugging her robe on before going to wake the kids. Andy yawns and sinks back down into bed for a while longer, listening to the sounds of her getting the kids ready. After a little bit Sharon yells his name down the hall and he swings his legs out of bed, pulling on a pair of sweatpants before making his way down to the kitchen.

"Daddy!" Emily exclaims, holding her arms up for a hug. Andy leans down and gives her a squeeze before kissing Ricky's head, "Were you at work all night?"

"I was. Long, long night."

"Did you catch the bad guy?"

"Not yet," Andy says as he sits down at the table, thanking Sharon as she sets a breakfast plate in front of him, "I have to go back after you guys go to school."

"I bet you'll get him," Emily says assuringly as she scoops up scrambled eggs with her fork.

"I hope so," Andy says as he starts to eat, not wanting to jade his daughter that they didn't always catch the bad guys, "How many more days of school left now?"

"Six!" Emily says with a smile.

"Did you have a good first year of school?"

"Mmhm! I really like it."

"Good," Andy smiles. Sharon smiles and rests a hand on his shoulder, squeezing.

"Em was telling me last night that some girls that are going to be in her day camp are taking step dance lessons a couple days a week a the dance school and she said she wanted to do it too."

"Oh yeah?"

"Mmhm! It's really, really cool like those dancers in the Saint Patrick's Day parade. Mommy said that I had to ask you though."

"Are you sure that's not going to be too much with ballet?" Andy asks.

"It's when I don't have ballet," Emily says.

"I don't see why she couldn't try it out," Andy shrugs, "At least for the summer."

"If you're okay with it," Sharon says.

"I'm assuming she'll be able to get a ride. If it fills in the days where she doesn't have ballet, seems like a good decision to me. Then we don't have to drop her off on anyone," Andy reasons, "Probably costs about the same."

"So I can do it?"

"Sure," Andy nods.

"Yes!" Emily yells with a grin. Andy finishes his plate of food and stacks it up with the kids' before handing them to Sharon.

"Thanks for breakfast."

"No problem," Sharon smiles and kisses him on the head, "Why don't you get some rest, okay?"

"Yeah," Andy nods, getting up from the table before kissing both of the kids on the head, "You two have a good day."

"Night night, dada." Ricky says. Andy laughs and ruffles his hair before trudging back down the hall. He pulls the curtains in the bedroom and face plants onto the bed, not taking long at all to fall back to sleep. He wakes up later in the morning as he hears a garbage truck go by and groans as he stretches, looking at the clock with another groan.

Andy rolls out of bed and gets ready to go back to work, stopping in the kitchen to make himself a sandwich to take back. He opens the fridge and finds a paper bag with his name on it inside, the discovery making a smile flit across his lips. He grabs the bag and checks the contents before rolling it back up and going to grab his gun. He backtracks after passing the kitchen table, finding the folder moved from where he had left it earlier in the day, straightened up with a post it note stuck on the top.

' _Let's talk -S_ ' Andy gulps and clutches his paper bag a little tighter before grabbing the folder and resuming his mission to get out of the house.

* * *

[TBC]


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes:** Thanks for all the great feedback and input from the last chapter - always great to hear from everyone!

* * *

Andy groans as he shuffles into the house late in the evening. He hears the tv on low in the living room and kicks his shoes off, putting up his gun before heading into the living room. Sharon was sitting on the couch with her feet propped up on the coffee table, painting her toe nails with a bright red polish. There was a half empty glass of white wine sitting on the table next to the bottle of polish along with the tv remote.

"Hey," Sharon says, not looking up from her task.

"Hey," Andy says, pressing a kiss to the back of her head as he looks at the color, "Good choice."

"It's the same color I always use," Sharon says as she finishes a toe before looking up at him with a smile, "There's a plate for you in the fridge if you're hungry."

"Food sounds great," Andy says, heading into the kitchen. He heats up the plate of leftovers that was sitting in the fridge, grabbing a fork from the drawer before going to sit next to Sharon. She finishes painting her nails as he eats, dropping her feet back down to the floor. She screws the lid of the bottle back on and sighs as she takes a sip of her wine.

"Finish your case?"

"Yeah," Andy nods, setting the plate on the coffee table before leaning back on the couch and wrapping his arm around Sharon. She pulls away after a moment and turns the tv off before looking at Andy, with an arched eyebrow.

"What?" Andy says as he looks down at her.

"Annulment?" Sharon asks. Andy groans and drops his head back against the couch.

"I know this has to look terrible," Andy says, "I...I had planned to go see the Father before this thing with Jack happened..."

"This thing with Jack...Andy, he's dead!" Sharon exclaims, shifting even more so she can sit back further on the couch and get a better look at Andy.

"I know," Andy sighs, scrubbing his hands over his face as he leans forward, "Look. I knew the process was going to take a long time, and I know this kind of stuff is important to you. I wanted to get a jump start on it so if someday we were...if we'd somehow been able to get married I didn't want to be the one holding us up. I'd set aside the time to go last week."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"Because it's just paperwork! I _still_ have to talk to Vicky, I still have to fill the paperwork out, then there's months and months of waiting...I didn't think that going to see him was the part of that I needed to say something about. Especially considering your current lack of going to church."

"So, you not saying anything is _my_ fault," Sharon says, a dark tone taking over her voice.

"I still don't know why I needed to say anything at all," Andy says, his own voice raising a bit, "If I want to get my marriage to Vicky annulled that's my business."

"Not when you're doing it because of me."

"What if I want her to be able to marry Dan?" Andy says defiantly.

"Dan's Jewish, and you two got married at the courthouse. You're doing it because of me," Sharon says, rolling her eyes, "I just wish you would have said something, anything…about wanting to do this. I know I said yes…"

"Are you saying you didn't mean it?"

"Right now I'm not saying anything because you're interrupting," Sharon flashes her eyes at him, "I know I said yes, and I did mean yes. But…I _told_ you I was basically denied at the front door. There wasn't going to be some magical moment where we could get married, unless I gave up on my faith."

"I still wanted to cover all my bases, just in case," Andy says, "I just didn't expect that Jack would end up six feet under. Besides, now you're free to get hitched, and I'm holding things up."

"Could you at least pretend to care a bit about Jack dying?" Sharon says, starting to get more frustrated with his flippancy about her ex's death than anything.

"Why, you said you didn't?"

"I said I wasn't upset about it, I still care, he was a human being. I spent over a decade of my life with him."

"He stole from you, cheated on you, and abandoned you," Andy points out, "I'm sorry I'm not heartbroken."

"I cheated on him, with you. And three years ago you were in the exact same spot as he was," Sharon reminds Andy, "I'm not a saint, Andy. I don't need a knight in shining armor."

"I'm not trying to be…" Andy sighs and shakes his head, "I just want to be able to marry you."

"Then talk to me," Sharon says, "Getting married is about both of us."

"I know," Andy nods. Sharon sighs and shuffles closer, pressing a kiss to his temple as she wraps an arm around him.

"Why don't you go take a shower? I'll be down in a few minutes," She suggests, giving him a squeeze before letting him go. Andy nods and turns his head to capture her lips in a quick kiss before getting up off the couch and heading down the hall. Sharon cleans up from her evening and finishes her glass of wine before putting it in the dishwasher. She turns off all of the lights and locks the front door, moving down the hall to the bedroom. She takes off her pants and maneuvers her bra off under her shirt, tossing both clothing items into the laundry.

Sharon could hear Andy in the shower as she dug through her bedside table before pulling out a heating pad and plugging it in. She drapes a towel over it before laying down in bed with a sigh, aligning the warmth along the small of her back. A few pages into her book she hears the water turn off and Andy steps into the bedroom, shutting the bathroom light off behind himself. He dries off and pulls on a pair of underwear before climbing into bed next to her.

"Mmm, toasty under here," He says as he settles down against his pillows and pulls the blankets up.

"I can turn it down if it's bothering you," Sharon says as she closes her book, putting it away and turning her bedside light off.

"No it's fine," Andy says as he rolls over on his side, "Your back bothering you?"

"Nothing too terrible," Sharon smiles, "Just that time of the month."

"Mmm," Andy says as he reaches out and slips his hand under her shirt to rub her stomach, yawning. Sharon hums and closes her eyes, letting his fingers massaging against her skin start to pull her into sleep.

"You know I love you right?"

"Of course," Andy says, watching her as her eyes droop closed, "I love you too."

The next morning Andy untangles from Sharon and gets dressed to go pick up Nicole and Charlie, making his way to his ex's house. He pulls into the driveway and parks the car before taking a deep breath as he sits for a moment. He's broken out of his reverie when Nicole starts banging on the driver side window.

"Daddyyyy."

"Hey honey," Andy says as he opens the door. He wraps an arm around her and lifts her up, pressing a kiss to her head. He carries her back into the house, setting her down on her feet before patting the back of her head, "Go get your brother and your bag, I've got to talk to your mom real quick. And then we can go."

"Okay!" Nicole says before running off after Charlie. Andy steps into the kitchen where Vicky was pouring out two cups from a pot of coffee and Dan was sitting at the table reading the paper.

"Morning guys."

"Morning," Vicky says, handing one of the cups to Dan as she takes a sip out of the other one, "Any big plans this weekend?"

"We might go down to the beach," Andy says relaying plans that he and Sharon had talked about, "Do you have a minute?"

"Sure," Vicky nods, setting her coffee down before following Andy out to the porch, "What's up?"

"I wanted to…" Andy rubs the back of his neck as he looks down at the ground, "I want to marry Sharon."

"That's hardly breaking news," Vicky says with a small smile.

"Right, the thing is," Andy continues before looking at Vicky, "if we wanted to get married in the church, technically I'd have to get an annulment. And I talked to a priest. It's a process, and it's not guaranteed that it'd be approved. But I wanted you to know that I was looking into this."

"Oh…" Vicky says, her stance shifting.

"I don't…think our marriage was a sham or anything," Andy says, "I loved the time I had with you, I screwed everything up. And I'm not trying to get off easy…"

"Andy," Vicky interrupts, "I get it."

"You do?"

"Yeah," Vicky nods, "We're both moving on. But that doesn't mean that our relationship is any less important in our lives."

"So you're okay with it?" Andy asks, surprised to be met with little resistance.

"Yes," Vicky nods, "Just let me know if you need anything."

"I mean they'll probably contact you at some point during the process," Andy shrugs with a small chuckle, "I need to read all of the stuff again, it's so much paperwork."

"Yeah they don't take it too lightly."

"Daddy are you ready to gooooo?" Charlie asks as he runs outside and slams into the back of Andy's legs.

"Yeah buddy," Andy says, reaching back to ruffle his son's hair before holding the keys out to him, "Go get in the car. I'll be right there."

"Okay!" Charlie says, taking the keys and running over to the car. Andy sighs as he looks back at Vicky.

"Thank you…for being understanding, for being okay with it…"

"I don't want to be the bitchy ex anymore," Vicky shrugs, "We work better when we don't yell at each other."

"Yeah," Andy nods. He leans over and kisses Vicky's cheek before following Nicole to the car as she runs over. He closes the back door after the both of them climb in, walking around to the driver's side. He takes the two of them home and walks them inside, urging them to be quiet since everyone had been asleep when he had left.

Once they walk inside they find Sharon already standing at the stove making breakfast and the kids playing in the living room. Nicole and Charlie drop their things by the door and rush into the living room to meet their siblings, yelling out a greeting to Sharon. Andy shuts the door before making his way into the kitchen, stepping up behind Sharon and wrapping his arms around her.

"Morning," She murmurs.

"Morning," Andy says, pressing his mouth to her neck and peppering kisses along the exposed skin. Sharon hums and drops her head back against his shoulder as he continues to kiss her skin and his fingers move over her stomach.

"Have Charlie and Nicole eaten yet?"

"No."

"You want to grab me a couple extra eggs?" Sharon asks.

"Sure," Andy says, pulling away before grabbing the container of eggs out of the fridge, cracking and mixing together a couple extra before handing them to her, "Still up for taking the kids to the beach later?"

"Yeah," Sharon nods as she continues on breakfast, "I'll make some sandwiches after breakfast for us to take with."

"You don't have to do that, I can take care of making lunch," Andy offers.

"That would be great," Sharon says, offering a tired smile as she plates breakfast for the kids before calling them in. Andy puts a hand on her waist as she moves by him to grab some juice out of the fridge.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, just tired and bleh," Sharon assures him before giving the kids juice and sitting down at the table with them, asking Nicole and Charlie about their week.

* * *

[TBC]


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes:** I hate to disappoint my reviewers (even though I am very glad they reviewed) but Sharon isn't pregnant or sick (yet? *evil cackle*) but guess what? The Flynn family is on vacation now! Wooo!

* * *

"Whea going?" Ricky asks as he walks along side Andy, looking around at the people milling around the airport.

"We're going on vacation, remember?" Andy says as they walk to the line for the check in counter, "We're going to New York to see Daddy's family."

"Oh, fun!" Ricky proclaims with a grin.

"It is going to be fun," Andy smiles. The four of them get through the check in line, getting their tickets before putting their bags up to be checked. He takes the tickets and thanks the attendant before leading Ricky towards the gates, "Come on. Let's get a snack before we get on the plane."

"Yeah, nack," Ricky agrees, following along side Andy.

"Can I get chips?" Emily asks as she holds onto Sharon's hand.

"Sure," Andy nods. They walk to their gate and get the kids settled before Andy offers to go get snacks for them.

"Em, what do you want?"

"Cheetos!" Emily decides after a moment

"Okay, Rick?"

"nack, pease."

"Okay," Andy laughs before looking at Sharon, "Can I get you anything?"

"Actually Cheetos sound pretty good," Sharon smiles as she rests her elbow on the back of Emily's seat.

"I have never seen you eat a Cheeto in my life," Andy proclaims.

"Well I have," Sharon says, "Just because you haven't seen me…"

"Alright alright, I'll be back in a couple minutes," Andy says, leaning down to kiss Sharon before heading over to the small bodega a few feet down from their gate. He gets a couple bags of Cheetos and some candy for the kids before paying for everything. He carries the bag back to the gate just as they announce boarding, helping Ricky down from his chair. Sharon gets Emily up, the four of them getting in line with their carry on bags. Andy hands the tickets over once they get to the door, offering a smile to the attendant before ushering the kids ahead of them. He puts their bags into the overhead once they get on board and close to their seats before pointing the row out to Sharon, "You want window?"

"Sure," Sharon nods. Andy lets her in to sit next to the window before lifting Ricky up and handing him over to her. He puts Emily in the middle before taking the aisle for himself.

"You got your belt?" Andy asks Emily and she nods as she clips the two halves together before he reaches over to tighten it for her, "Comfy?"

"Mmhm!" Emily nods with a smile. Andy buckles his own belt and takes Ricky so Sharon can get hers.

"You going to snuggle with Mama?" Andy asks the boy as he stands on his lap, "Be a good boy during the plane ride?"

"Yeah!" Ricky says. Andy smiles and shakes him playfully, shuffling his weight back and forth, making the boy giggle. Once Sharon is settled he hands Ricky back over, the boy snuggling up in his mother's lap. After they take off and get cruising, Andy gets out Emily's snack and gives it to her as Sharon gets a book out and starts to read to Ricky. A few pages into the picture book the boy's eyes start to droop and he tangles his fingers into Sharon's hair, playing with the soft locks until he falls asleep.

"Who's picking us up at the airport?"

"Sophia, then she's taking us to Mom's so we can drop off our stuff," Andy says, "It'll be about dinner time when we get there, I think Mom was going to cook and Soph was probably going to stay. We'll get Charlie and Nicole tomorrow, and then we were thinking about having a cookout. Have everyone come over, kinda get it out of the way. Then the rest of the week, we have open."

"Sounds like a plan," Sharon smiles.

Emily ends up falling asleep soon after her brother, the two of them dozing for a decent amount of the trip before they wake up. Sharon gives Ricky a toy to keep him occupied as Emily colors on the fold down tray. Once the flight attendants announce their descent they get the kids packed up and wait for the plane to touch down before they grab their carry ons and get off.

"You were such a good boy during the flight," Sharon says as she bounces Ricky on her hip.

"Me good boy," Ricky grins.

"Yes you are," Sharon smiles back and kisses his head.

"Andy!" Sophia jumps up from her seat and waves when she sees her brother. Andy smiles and walks over to his sister, wrapping her up into a hug.

"Hey Soph."

"Oh it's so good to see you. How was your flight?" Sophia asks as she pulls back.

"It was good," Andy nods, "Kids slept most of the time. Speaking of, Soph you remember Sharon. This is Emily and that is Ricky. Emily, Ricky, this is your Aunt Sophia."

"Hi," Emily says quietly as she wraps an arm around Andy's leg and leans into his side.

"Hi!" Ricky says much more enthusiastically, waving at Sophia.

"Hello! It's so good to meet you two," Sophia says, crouching down closer to Emily's height, "You are much prettier than the pictures your mom showed us when she was here."

"Thank you," Emily says as she blushes. Sophia stands up and brushes her hands off on her skirt.

"I'm assuming you guys have some bags to pick up?"

"Yeah just two," Andy nods, rubbing Emily's back as they follow his sister to baggage claim. He grabs their bags off the conveyer when they come through, pulling them as they follow his sister to the car.

"I wasn't sure if Ricky still needed a carseat or not, so I left Max's seat in the car."

"That'll be great, we still use one at home," Sharon says, "How is that cute little cherub?"

"He's good, getting big," Sophia says as she opens the trunk for Andy. Sharon loads the kids into the back seat, buckling Ricky into the carseat before taking a seat next to them. Andy gets into the front passenger seat and Sophia into the drivers seat before taking off from the airport.

"Mama, hungy," Ricky says as he looks over at Sharon while they drive.

"We are going to have dinner when we get to to Nonna's," Sharon tells him.

"Cheeto?" Ricky asks, holding his hand out.

"No, no more Cheetos," Sharon says.

"Pease?"

"No," Sharon shakes her head. Ricky grumbles and furrows his brow as he pulls his hand back.

"Want Cheeto," Ricky mumbles as he crosses his arms and pouts. Sharon rolls her eyes as Andy looks back at her with a bemused grin. Sophia and Andy spend the drive catching up as Emily looks out the window at the passing buildings, the scenery unlike anything she'd ever seen before.

"It's beautiful," The little girl whispers as she looks at the passing skyscrapers and row houses. Sharon smiles and reaches across the back seat to rest a hand on Emily's back. She'd figured her daughter would enjoy the city. She had been able to secure tickets to a matinee ballet to take the girls to and her and Andy had tickets to a show later in the week so they could have a date night.

Sophia pulls into one of the empty parking spots at her mother's house, turning off the car before getting out with her brother and his family. Sharon gets the kids out and helps Andy grabs the bags before they head inside.

"Ma! We're back!" Sophia calls out as she opens the back door.

"Something smells good!" Andy says as he sets the bags down inside the kitchen. Connie comes into the kitchen, her face lighting up when she sees her son, rushing over to wrap her arms around his tall frame.

"Mio bambino!" Connie says as she hugs him tight before pulling back and smacking him on the back of the head, fixing him with a stern glare, "What's wrong with you? You don't come visit for over a year?"

"Ow, Ma!" Andy exclaims as he grabs the back of his head. Emily and Ricky both giggle as Andy gets hit, quieting as Sharon fixes them with her own look, "You know the plane flies both ways."

"Don't you start, Andrew," Connie says, kissing his cheek before pushing him out of the way to hug Sharon and greet the kids.

"It's so good to see you again, Connie," Sharon compliments as she hugs the brunette before bouncing Ricky on her hip, "Ricky, can you say hi to your Nonna?"

"Hi," Ricky grins, reaching his arms out to Connie.

"Oh you look more like your father than I thought," Connie says as she takes Ricky, brushing his hair back from his face and smoothing it down. She spends a moment studying his face before looking down at Emily, "And you little missy, you very much take after your mother."

"Thanks…I think," Emily says, latched onto Sharon's side.

"Let me show you up to your rooms," Connie says, heading towards the hall, "Dinner should be done here soon."

"What are you making?" Andy asks as he carries the bags upstairs.

"Your favorite lasagna," Connie says as she sets Ricky down once they get upstairs, "And your sister brought a cheesecake from Howards."

"Sounds great," Andy says.

"So I figured the kids could stay in here," Connie says, flipping on the lights for two small bedrooms, each with full size beds in them, "And you two can take the master."

"Where are you sleeping?" Andy asks.

"Downstairs, I moved most of my stuff down there last year," Connie says, "Easier than having to go up and down the stairs all the time."

"Thank you for setting this up," Sharon says as she sets the kids' bag on the bed in the room next to theirs, "This all looks lovely."

"Why don't you guys freshen up and then come down for dinner?"

"Thanks, Ma," Andy says as he kisses his mom on the cheek before watching her head back downstairs.

"Mommy, I have to go potty," Emily says.

"Bathroom is in the corner over there," Andy points before setting their bag on the bed and unzipping it. He unpacks their clothes, hanging the few things that needed to be hung as Sharon sits on the edge of the bed and takes her shoes off, rubbing her feet.

"Can you grab my toiletry bag out please," Sharon asks as she looks back at him. Andy nods and digs through their things before pulling the bag out and handing it over. She smiles her thanks at him before taking the bag and heading into the bathroom after Emily leaves. She washes her face and runs her fingers through her hair before touching her makeup up. She stuffs everything back into the bag before going back to the bedroom, finding Emily sprawled across the bed with Ricky sitting in the suitcase as Andy puts things away. Her arms wrap around his waist as he stands at the dresser and she rests her cheek against his shoulder blade, just standing in silence for a couple moments before her stomach growls.

"That lasagna does smell really good," Sharon laughs.

* * *

[TBC]


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes:** Thanks to all of the reviews from the last chapter! Always great to hear from you guys. I hope the vacation isn't disappointing!

* * *

Connie watches out the window as Andy plays in the backyard with the kids. Charlie and Nicole had been dropped off earlier in the morning by Vicky and after a quick lunch all the kids had been sent out to play while Sharon and Connie got food ready for the cookout that was happening later in the afternoon.

"They get along well," Connie comments as she shakes out the pasta before pouring it in to the large bowl that Sharon was cutting up vegetables into.

"The kids?"

"Yeah."

"They do," Sharon nods, "I worry about them getting too rough with Ricky sometimes, but it amazes me how well they get along."

"Did any of them have problems with…merging?"

"Um, Nicole did a little bit," Sharon says, "But nothing too serious. They have their squabbles every now and then. I honestly think Emily had a harder time adjusting to me bringing Ricky home than to Charlie and Nicole."

"Once you bring one home the rest are easy," Connie laughs. Sharon smiles and nods in agreement.

"I suppose so."

"Do you ever think about having more?" Connie asks, putting the bowl into the fridge, "You seemed pretty enamored with little Max last night and the last time you were here."

"Think about it, yes," Sharon answers tactfully as she focuses on her task, "But we've talked about it, and the four of them, seems like the perfect amount."

"Sometimes, surprises can be the best thing," Connie imparts with an arched eyebrow before the pounding of feet running up the back steps alerts them to the kids and Andy coming inside. The door bursts open and the kids tear through the house towards the front door, Andy bringing up the rear, "What is the rush?"

"We are going to walk down to the corner store and grab some ices," Andy says, "Do we need anything else?"

"If you want to grab a couple bags of actual ice that would be good," Connie requests, "Ice down the coolers in the back when you get back."

"Shar, you want one?"

"I'm good," Sharon shakes her head with a smile.

"Alright, we'll be back soon," Andy says as he heads out the front door with the kids. Sharon rinses her hands off and dries before looking around the kitchen.

"What else needs to be done?" She asks.

"You good with making bread?" Connie replies, looking over her shoulder.

"Uh not one of my strong suits," Sharon says with a sheepish grin.

"Alright, why don't you take this over and I will take care of the bread," Connie offers, handing Sharon the spoon.

"Sure," Sharon nods, stepping up to the bowl that Connie had been working at as the other woman starts to get out the things to make bread. The two continue to work together until they have all of the food ready that they can, quickly cleaning up the kitchen before Andy's sisters and their families start showing up. After introducing the kids to everyone, Emily was more than thrilled to find more people to play with and Ricky was being passed around the group charming everyone's socks off.

Sharon had snapped up Max for herself after taking a seat in one of the lawn chairs next to Sophia. The baby was still as happy and jubilant as the first time she had met him in the winter, his charming smile bearing a striking resemblance to his uncle's.

"You get enough to eat?" Andy asks as he comes up behind Sharon's chair, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Do you know how much weight I'm going to gain from this trip if you Flynn's don't stop trying to shove food down my throat?" Sharon grins as she looks up at Andy.

"So I'm going to take that as a yes."

"Yes, I had plenty of food," Sharon nods as Max bounces on her lap, letting out a loud giggle, "And plenty of giggles from this little cutie!"

"Mmm," Andy smiles and squats down next to Sharon as he tickles Max under the chin, "How many time have you gotten 'the question' in the last three hours?"

"Mmm, at least once from each of your sisters and maybe a couple of times from your brothers-in-law," Sharon says, handing Max over to Andy as he flings himself over. She runs her hand up Andy's back and squeezes his shoulder, "It's okay. I expected it."

"You did?"

"Of course," Sharon says with a shrug, "You're the youngest. Ricky's only two…"

"I figured they could be a little more delicate on their approach though," Andy rolls his eyes before giving Max to Sophia when he starts to whine. Sharon stops his secondary comment with a soft kiss to his lips, stroking his cheek gently.

"Leave them be…they're glad you're home," She reminds him in a soft voice before he's stolen away again. Before the sun can dip too low in the sky Connie manages to get the family wrangled together for a picture, imposing the task on her neighbor. Once the larger group picture is taken Connie takes a couple of pictures of the girls and Andy, knowing it was a rare occasion that all five of them were together.

Sharon scoops Ricky up as he toddles across the group picture, holding his hands up with a whine in his throat. She presses a kiss to his head as he snuggles close, rubbing his back and murmuring softly in his ear. With a quick glance at her watch she wasn't surprised they were getting tired. She walks over to Andy once he finishes with his sisters, putting a hand on his back to get his attention.

"Hey," Andy says as he turns around, noticing Ricky's droopy eyes as he lays against Sharon's shoulder, "Someone looks like they're crashing."

"Yeah, I'm going to take him upstairs and lay him down," Sharon tells Andy, "Come get me if you need anything?"

"Sure," Andy nods, pressing a kiss to her temple. Sharon smiles before carrying Ricky inside and upstairs to the bedroom. She undresses him and changes his diaper before dressing him in his pajamas and picking him up off the bed.

"You want to lay with Mama for a little bit?" Sharon whispers as she carries him into the room her and Andy were staying in. Ricky hadn't done well the night before sleeping in the same bed as Emily and had ended up in bed with the two of them, sprawled out in the middle.

"Mama seepy," Ricky mumbles, latched onto Sharon's shirt.

"I know, baby," Sharon murmurs, rubbing his back before getting into bed and laying him down on the sheets next to her. She smoothes her hand over his belly as she hums quietly, waiting for his breathing to even out and his grip on her shirt to loosen before she slips away from him. She places a couple pillows around him before heading back downstairs, practically running into Andy as she steps out the back door.

"Whoa, sorry."

"That's okay," Sharon laughs.

"I was just coming to check on you, he's already out?"

"Yeah, he was tired," Sharon says with a smile as Andy's hands settle on her waist and she brings a hand up to his chest, "Pretty late in Los Angeles right now."

"Yeah, I'm about to crap out myself," Andy sighs, dropping his head against hers, "You having a good time?"

"I am," Sharon nods, "I don't think I've seen you smile so much in a while."

"I smile plenty at home."

"You do," Sharon agrees, "But I see it a lot here."

"Vacations," Andy shrugs with a smile before kissing Sharon, "I think the rest of the kids are getting pretty tired so they're probably going to start heading out soon."

"Sounds good," Sharon says, following Andy back outside. Soon the rest of the family starts to leave, promising to be by at different points of the week to see Andy, Sharon, and the kids. Emily leans her weight into Sharon as they say their goodbyes, yawning.

"I think it's time for you to get in bed too missy," Sharon says after Allegra leaves. Emily nods as she yawns again, covering her mouth with her tiny hand.

"You go ahead and take her up," Andy says as he carries in a couple things from outside, "I'm going to help clean up real quick and then I'll be up."

"Okay," Sharon nods, "Connie, thanks for a lovely evening. It was great to have everyone together."

"It's no problem, thank you for your help this afternoon getting everything ready. Always goes faster with two sets of hands," Connie smiles before dropping a kiss on Emily's head and bidding her a good night. Sharon takes Emily upstairs and gets her tucked into bed before going to change herself. She changes into her nightgown and brushes her teeth before climbing into bed next to Ricky. The boy snuggles back up to her and settles against her side as she grabs her book off the bedside table and starts to read.

Sharon makes it through a couple chapters before Andy comes upstairs, hearing the stairs creak out in the hall. He makes his way into the bedroom a few moments later, running his hand through his hair with a sigh. He changes into his pajama pants before climbing into bed next to Sharon, jumping when she puts her hand on his arm.

"God I didn't know you were still awake," Andy murmurs as he shifts his position and wraps his arm around her.

"Mmm, I was just reading," Sharon says as she puts her book back before turning off the small light on the bedside table, "You were downstairs for a while."

"Yeah we got to talking," Andy shrugs slightly as he settles down against his pillow.

"Everything okay?" Sharon asks.

"Mmhm," Andy nods, "Just been a while since we've been able to talk face to face...I definitely wasn't sober."

"That's not a bad thing, is it?" Sharon asks.

"No," Andy murmurs, "I just…I've never had my mom tell me she was proud of me before. I mean I think she's proud of all of us. She's just…"

"Never said it."

"Yeah…" Andy shrugs and shakes his head. Sharon reaches back and strokes his cheek with a small smile.

"She has a very good reason to be proud of you," Sharon reminds him, " _Many_ good reasons to be proud of you. Just like I do."

"You're proud of me?"

"Of course I am," Sharon says reassuringly, "You have made so many changes in the last couple years…I am very proud of you."

* * *

[TBC]


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes:** Little bit of Shandy smexy at the beginning of the chapter! Thanks for all of the reviews!

* * *

Sharon laughs as Andy backs her into the front door, his chest pressing into hers. He leans down, his face only centimeters from hers as he looks into her eyes. She lets out a lighter giggle as she stares back at him, biting her lip as her eyes chance a glance at his own lips.

"You have a good time tonight?" Andy asks in a low, gravelly tone.

"I had…a great time tonight," Sharon says, offering him a brilliant smile. Andy had treated her to a surprise reservation at the Rainbow Room before they went to the see the New York Philharmonic. She definitely hadn't expected an evening of wining (on her part) and dining before the concert, but was pleasantly surprised by her fiancé's efforts.

"Good," Andy murmurs, pressing a deep kiss to her lips before unlocking the front door. He holds it open for her before following her inside. He shuts and locks the door behind them before putting a hand on Sharon's back and guiding her upstairs. She sticks her head in on the kids, happy to find them all in their own beds, especially Ricky. Andy pulls her into the master and shuts the door behind her as he presses his lips to hers.

"Mmm," Sharon hums as she tangles her fingers in his hair, kissing him back hungrily. She pulls back after a moment and places a firm palm on his chest when he steps forward to move her back towards the bed, "Oh I hate it when you kiss me like that."

"Really cause you seem to enjoy it to me," Andy rebuts.

"But it makes it very hard for me to say we shouldn't do this," Sharon points out.

"Why?" Andy asks as he presses his lips to her neck, tightening his hold on her. Sharon hums and tilts her head to the side.

"Because we're in your mother's house and the kids are right next door."

"They're right next door at home," Andy points out.

"I know, but..." Sharon gasps as he nips at her clavicle, "Oh god you are insistent."

"It's my middle name," Andy grins against her skin before stepping away. He grabs her hand and pulls her towards the bed, taking a seat on the edge. He wraps his arms around her waist and pulls her to stand in between his legs, looking up at her with dark brown eyes. Sharon runs her fingers through his hair, tugging playfully as she smiles down at him. She runs her hands down his arms and reaches around to her back, tugging the zipper on her dress down before letting it fall from her arms.

Andy lets out a soft groan as he watches the fabric fall away, her pale skin finally revealed to him. His lips trail over the soft skin of her stomach, down along the top of her underwear as his fingers curl in the fabric. Sharon's hand curves up her back and she flicks apart the clasp of her bra. Her eyes slip closed at the feeling of his mouth against her skin as she tosses the lacy fabric onto the ground. His hands slip inside the back of her underwear, pushing it down her hips and thighs before letting it pool at her feet.

"I think you're over dressed," Sharon murmurs before moaning as she feels his mouth against her core, his hands dragging her closer. She pulls him away after a couple quick jerks of her hips, pushing him back firmly onto the bed. Andy laughs as she undoes his belt buckle and fly before pulling his suit pants down, taking a moment to take off his socks and shoes. Her nails scrape over his thighs before her hands smooth up his torso and she unbuttons his shirt, "Sit up."

"Yes ma'am," Andy says as he pushes himself back into a sitting position. He lets her take his suit jacket and shirt off before wrapping his arms around her and taking her back down to the bed with him with another hungry kiss. Sharon's legs easily slip to straddle his hips, moaning as she feels him hot and hard against her core.

Their coupling is hard and fast. Andy's clothes are roughly shoved aside in favor of skin on skin contact as Sharon rides him with a reckless abandon. Moans and groans are buried in careless bites as they move against each other. Sharon pants as she sinks her weight against Andy, dropping her head against his chest. Her body jerks as another muscle spasm moves down her spine and a small laugh slips from her mouth. Andy echoes her laugh with his own chuckle, his hand rubbing up her back. She pushes herself back up and smiles down at him, pressing a soft kiss to his lips.

"I love you."

"I love you too," Andy murmurs as he hugs her close, groaning as they hear a small hand smacking against the door, "Nooooo…"

"Mama!"

"I'll get him," Sharon says, glad her son hadn't exactly figured out door knobs yet. She moans softly as she moves off of Andy before grabbing her robe. She ties the sash around her waist before opening the door and finding Ricky standing on the other side holding his stuffed tiger by the ear.

"Mama!" Ricky grins up at her, holding his arms up.

"Hi honey," Sharon says as she leans down and picks him up, pressing a kiss to his cheek. She carries him back to the room they had been trying to get him to stay in with Charlie. The older boy was curled up on the other side of the bed, an arm tucked under his head and the other hanging off the bed. Sharon lays Ricky back down on his side and pulls the blankets up

"Seep wif mama," Ricky says, trying to get up again.

"No you sleep here, with Charlie," Sharon whispers, giving him an encouraging smile and stroking her fingers through his hair. She sits with him for a few minutes until his eyes start to droop and he drifts back off to sleep. She spends a couple extra minutes, making sure he's asleep before she makes a quick trip to the bathroom. Once she gets back to her and Andy's room she closes the door quietly behind herself.

"You actually got him to lay back down?"

"Mmm, magic," Sharon smiles, hanging her robe back up before walking over to the bed. She climbs in next to Andy and sidles her body up to his, slipping her leg against his. She rests her hand on his chest and sighs as her head drops against her pillow, "I had a really great time tonight."

"I'm glad," Andy says as he holds her close, pressing a kiss to the top of her head, "I'm really glad."

Sharon leans up and presses a kiss to Andy's cheek before settling back down and closing her eyes, drifting off to sleep. She manages to sleep solid until the morning, only waking up when she feels a wandering hand traveling down her spine. Her nose wrinkles when she doesn't feel the familiar warm chest underneath her.

"Shar, hon, time to get up. Your parents are here…" Andy murmurs as his fingers continue to trace up and down her spine, mapping each notch as he does. Sharon's eyes snap open and she scrambles to grab the clock that was sitting on the bedside table.

"What? What are they doing here so early?" Sharon asks as she scrambles out of bed, looking for clothes to put on.

"They're dropping the stuff off for Ricky's party later and were going to spend the day in the city," Andy says, watching her dart around the room, "Hon, relax. They're downstairs with the kids right now having coffee with my mom."

"They're not supposed to be here this early though," Sharon says as she throws on a nightgown and her robe before making her way downstairs. Her feet carry her into the kitchen and she puts on a wide smile when she sees her parents, "Mom, Dad! You're here early."

"Hi honey," Bill says, setting his coffee cup down and standing up to hug his daughter, "We thought we'd come down early and drop the stuff for the party off. Your mom and I thought it would be nice to spend a day in the city."

"We're going to grab breakfast at the park," Mary tells her daughter, kissing her cheek as Sharon leans down to hug her, "You're welcome to join us, but I'm sure you're probably tired of the park by now."

"Actually we hadn't had a chance to make it this week," Sharon says, "We were hoping to take the kids today."

"You guys should take the kids and spend the day with your parents," Connie says, "I can take care of getting things ready for later today."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, of course. I've had you guys all week," Connie reassures Sharon.

"Alright, let me go get the kids together and then we can head out," Sharon says, "Guys let's go get dressed."

Sharon herds the kids upstairs and gets them dressed before sending them back downstairs and starting to get dressed herself. She puts on a blue patterned sun dress and pulls her hair back into a low bun on the back of her head before digging out a pair of comfortable flats and heading back downstairs.

"Alright, ready?" Sharon says with a smile as she grabs her purse, "Why don't you guys take Emily and Ricky with you and we'll take Nicole and Charlie?"

"Sure," Mary nods.

"We'll be back later, Ma," Andy says, kissing his mother on the cheek before they take the kids outside. Ricky and Emily climb into the back seat of Bill and Mary's car as Andy holds the back door of his mom's car open for Charlie and Nicole.

"What's at the park?" Nicole asks as she climbs in.

"It's a really big park," Andy says as he shuts the door before getting into the drivers side, "There's a couple ponds, some restaurants, a zoo."

"All in a park?" Charlie arches his eyebrow.

"It's a pretty big park," Andy says with a smile. He drives them into Manhattan towards Central Park, managing to find an open parking garage close by. He finds a spot to park in and turns off the car, helping Charlie and Nicole out before offering a hand out to Sharon. She takes it with a smile before taking Nicole's hand, the four of them making their way out of the garage and across the street to the park.

"Wow, this is really big," Nicole comments as they walk to the restaurant, her brown eyes looking around and taking everything in.

"We'll have to go to the zoo after breakfast," Sharon says, smiling down at the little girl and squeezing her hand. She takes her hand away from Andy and raises it in a wave as they approach the restaurant and see her parents standing out front with the kids.

"They're just getting a table together for us," Bill says.

"Okay," Sharon nods, letting Nicole's hand go finally, "How have you guys been?"

"Good, good, I'm glad we were able to come down and see you," Mary says as she pulls her daughter into a hug, holding her a little longer this time, "We need to find time to come out to Los Angeles soon for a proper visit."

"That would be nice," Sharon says as she pulls back, smiling at her mother, "We'll have to plan something for the fall."

"O'Dwyer?" A hostess calls as she steps outside.

"That's us," Bill says, putting a hand on Mary's back before following the woman back inside. The eight of them are sat at a table on the patio next to the water.

"Ooh, Momma after breakfast can we go see the ducks?" Emily asks as she notices the birds floating around in the pond next to them.

"Sure," Sharon nods as she sits down after putting Ricky into his booster seat. She looks at the menu before looking down at the kids and asking what they wanted, providing a couple options.

"Can I get a waffle and bacon?" Emily asks.

"If you split the waffle with your brother and eat some eggs too."

"Can I get chocolate chips?" Emily bargains.

"Sure. Charlie, Nic?"

"I want French toast," Nicole says, "With eggs and sausage."

"Me too," Charlie says as well looking up from his menu, his hair falling into his eyes.

"Okay, do you think you'll finish everything or can you split a breakfast?"

"I can finish," Nicole says with a definitive voice.

"Alright," Sharon smiles, "And you guys want juice or milk?"

"Milk please!" The three of them echo.

"Alright," Sharon says, taking their menus from them before looking at the menu again for herself. They all order when the waitress comes back over, and once their food arrives Sharon splits everything up between the kids before tucking into her own meal. Once they finish Bill pays the bill after waving Andy off multiple times, and they make their way out of the restaurant.

"Walk with me, rose," Bill says, offering his arm to Sharon. Sharon looks at her father, surprised at the use of an old nickname he used to call her, and tilts her head before looking at her mom.

"Will you and Andy take the kids to look at the ducks?"

"Sure," Mary nods. Sharon takes her father's arm and they walk the opposite direction of the rest of the family. They walk for a little bit before she breaks the silence.

"So..."

"I have something for you," Bill says, reaching into his back pocket to pull out an envelope before handing it to Sharon. She stops walking and opens the envelope, pulling out a check from inside.

"What is this?" Sharon asks as she scans the writing on the check, her eyes slowly widening at the numbers she was reading.

"When you married Jack I took out a life insurance policy on him, just in case anything were to ever happen that you and any kids you might have would be taken care of," Bill says, stuffing his hands in his pockets, "It automatically came out of our account when the accountant wrote the checks…I never thought anything of it after I signed up for it. After he passed I looked into it again and found out that we had still been paying on the policy. That's the payout."

"Dad…this is two hundred and fifty thousand dollars…"

* * *

[TBC]


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes:** We're back to LA folks! Thanks for the continued reviews and reads :D

* * *

Sharon sighs as she sits down at the table across from Andy. The kids were finally down in bed after a long day of jet lag, and it was the first time they were going to be able to address the $250,000 elephant in the room. She pulls the check out of her purse and grabs their account ledgers before looking at Andy.

"You sure you want to do this right now?"

"I think it would probably be best," Andy says, leaning his head on his hand as she opens the books.

"Okay," Sharon nods, "I'll go to the bank tomorrow and get this deposited. I think the first obvious thing we should do with it is pay off the house. That puts a dent in about half of it. We can pay off both of the cars…that's another fifteen gone…"

"You don't have to use this to pay off my debt," Andy says with a shake of his head.

"At this point it's all pretty much our debt isn't it?" Sharon says as she flicks her eyes up at Andy, "Especially if we're going to get married at some point."

"I don't want to take advantage…" Andy shrugs, "You spent a lot of money putting Jack through law school and…"

"You're not taking advantage," Sharon tells him, stretching her hands across the table to take his in hers. Her thumbs stroke over his skin softly as she squeezes and looks him dead in the eye, "This is it, right? For both of us? Me and you…"

"Of course," Andy answers without hesitation.

"Then everything, all of this, is us. We discuss, we talk to each other. But there's no my debt and your debt…" Sharon tells him, squeezing his hands once more before letting go. She combs through the numbers, punching things into the calculator before turning it around to Andy, "If we pay off the house, the cars, the credit cards…we have around a hundred thousand left. Ricky and Emily have trusts set up through my parents for their college funds…what about Charlie and Nicole?"

"Ah Vicky and I have an account set up that we contribute to, it automatically comes out of my check," Andy shakes his head, "Let's just put it away for now. We don't have to decide everything tonight."

"I suppose you're right," Sharon sighs softly, looking at the paperwork in front of her, "I'm going to put the stuff together to go to the bank tomorrow and then we can head to bed."

"Alright, I'm going to let the dog out," Andy says, getting up from his seat and pressing a kiss to her head before calling for Lily to take her outside. He comes back in a few minutes later and locks the house up before nudging Sharon, "Let's go."

"Okay," Sharon nods, putting everything back. She gets up and turns the kitchen light off, following Andy down the hall. Lily climbs onto the bed and stretches out at the foot as they get ready for bed. Sharon brushes her teeth and washes her face, a contemplative look on her face as she goes through the motions. She discards her clothes from the day and changes into one of Andy's undershirts before turning off the light to the bathroom and climbing into bed.

"Everything okay?" Andy asks as he pulls on his pajama pants. Sharon nods and offers him a reassuring smile as she reaches out to turn the light off, her fingers brushing gently over the angel statue that was still sitting on her bedside table. He climbs into his side of the bed, nudging Lily to move over so he could stretch his legs out before turning his own light off and wrapping his arm around Sharon's waist from behind. The two lay in silence for a few moments, the only sound in the room Lily's tail brushing against the covers. He could tell she was still awake, her mind swirling.

"We would have been okay," Sharon mumbles quietly before shuffling closer to Andy and closing her eyes. He presses a kiss to the back of her head and squeezes her close as he closes his own eyes.

In the morning Sharon drops the kids off at their daycare program and makes her way down to the bank to deposit the check before going to work. By the end of the week they had the house and cars paid off, each of them taking care to add the other to the titles and deeds associated so the property was under both of their names. By the end of the month their remaining debt was paid off as well, and for the first time in three years Sharon felt like she could take a deep breath.

After paying all of their bills Andy and Sharon revisited what to do with the rest of the money. The ended up deciding to splurge with part of it and put a small pool in the back yard, big enough for the four kids to play in comfortably and for Sharon to swim laps, but small enough that it didn't overtake their entire yard. The rest was split up between a savings account and a couple of small investments. They made plans for her parents to come out and visit in late September, and the summer slowly began to melt away from them.

Andy jerks awake in bed, panting softly as he runs his hand up his chest. He shakes his head with a grunt and tries to shake the cobwebs of a bad dream away. He reaches out for Sharon and sighs as his hand hits empty mattress. He lays in bed for a few minutes before getting up and heading out in search of Sharon. He frowns when he finds the living room and kitchen empty before sticking his head out the back door and not finding her in the pool either.

As he walks back through the kitchen he notices a propped up note on the kitchen table with his name on it. He flips it open and reads Sharon's scrawl on the inside that she had gone to mass and would be back later in the morning. He smiles and closes the note before tossing it into the trash and stepping over to the coffee pot to start his morning routine.

Across town Sharon steps into the church and takes a deep breath as she crosses herself. She steps over to the memorial candles and watches the flames flicker in the soft breeze of the room. She reaches out and lights one herself, closing her eyes as she curls her fingers around the rosary in her hands. She stands quietly for a moment before going to take a seat in one of the back pews.

Sharon sits quietly thorough the service, going through the motions and never letting go of the beads in her hand. She doesn't step forward for communion, watching as the parishioners line up and make their way to the front, accepting their blessings quietly. She gets up as the line gets shorter and goes over to the confessional booth waiting outside for it to 'officially' open.

A few minutes after the service ends she steps inside and pulls the curtain, taking a seat before setting her purse between her feet. The divider slides open and Sharon swallows over the knot in her throat as she crosses herself again.

"Bless me, Father, for I have sinned," She whispers before clearing her throat, "It has been two hundred and seventeen days since my last confession…"

Sharon sits confession, the words pouring out of her as she closes her eyes and drops her head back against the confessional wall. Her voice ebbs and flows, the tears easily starting as she begins to talk. It doesn't take her long to confess her sins, but she and Father Espinoza end up spending a quick passing forty five minutes talking with each other before he offers Sharon a final thought.

"I read a poem once, and there was a line in it that struck me; To live in the hearts we leave behind is not to die," Father Espinoza says.

"Thomas Campbell," Sharon says with a small laugh as she wipes her eyes, "I didn't realize you were a fan of Scottish poetry."

"I do read other things besides the Bible," The priest chides with a playful voice, "You will always have her, Sharon. And I'm glad you were able to come back to us."

"Thank you," Sharon says stuffing the damp kleenex back in her purse.

"I'll see you next Sunday?"

"Next Sunday," Sharon nods before getting up and stepping out of the booth, offering an apologetic look at the people waiting before she heads for the door. Since she had stepped into church earlier it had started to rain causing her to pause at the doorway before stepping out into the shower and making her way to the car. She sits in the car for a moment, listening to the pitter patter of the rain drops against the windshield as her eyes slip closed. Her eyes snap open as a clap of thunder rolls across the sky and she shakes her head before turning the car over and heading home.

Between slow going traffic and a stop off at a bakery it took Sharon closer to an hour to get home. She pulls the car into the driveway and into the garage before cutting the engine and getting out. The quiet of the house shocks her as she steps in from the garage, shutting the door quietly behind herself.

"Andy?"

"Kitchen," Andy calls out. Sharon turns around the corner to the kitchen, setting the box from the bakery and her purse on the counter as she finds him sitting at the table with papers spread out everywhere.

"Where are the kids?"

"Passed out on the floor in the living room," Andy says, looking up from his paperwork, "They were watching a movie and fell asleep. Good day for a nap."

"Yeah," Sharon agrees, running her fingers through her damp locks, "I didn't know it was supposed to rain today so I didn't have my umbrella with me."

"I just put some clean laundry away if you want to go change," Andy offers, "I think your leggings and sweatshirt were in the load."

"Mmm that sounds nice," Sharon says, leaning down to kiss his head before shuffling down the hall. She discards her damp clothes and changes into he leggings and sweatshirt that Andy had mentioned. She comes back to the kitchen and opens the box from the bakery, cutting out a large slice of the cake the she had bought. Chocolate fudge cake, with layers of raspberry between the cake layers and a sinful chocolate buttercream on the outside, "What are you doing?"

"Trying to get this stupid paperwork finished," Andy says with a grumble to his tone, "I swear to God they want every piece of paper imaginable, I might just send them a prostate exam just to screw with them."

"What are you talking about?" Sharon laughs as she sits down at the table with her cake and a fork.

"This annulment paperwork!" Andy exclaims, "I think I finally have it finished, I'm just going through it then I was going to drop it off tomorrow. Hey where did you get cake?"

"I stopped on the way home and got one," Sharon says as she forks off a bite, "Seemed like a good day for cake…"

"Yeah you're probably right," Andy says before stacking up all of the paperwork and clipping it together. He puts it in the folder that he had brought home all those months before, leaving it out so he would take it with him in the morning. He gets up and grabs a small plate for himself, slicing off a smaller hunk of the cake than she had before taking a seat across from her again, "How was mass?"

"It was good," Sharon says quietly as she stabs her fork into the soft pastry, "It was good to go back."

"Why today?" Andy asks after chewing over his first bite, looking across the table. Her eyes were focused on the dessert in front of her and he could see her mind still turning and churning from her morning at church.

"It's September 8th," Sharon shrugs, "Seemed like as good of a day as any."

 _September 8th_ , Andy says to himself, turning the date over and over in his mind, running through the holidays and birthdays that he could remember. It isn't until he opens his mouth to ask about it that it all clicks together for him, coming home, circling the date on the calendar with a heart, both of them knowing that it was a guess, but a date to shoot for none the less.

"I've spent the last seven and a half months mourning in some way or another…" Sharon says, looking up at Andy with clear eyes as she notices the realization in his own eyes. She'd figured he'd forgotten about that date a lot faster than she had, "I cried my last tears today, and I am probably going to eat more than my fair share of that cake today, but I'm moving forward."

* * *

[TBC]


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes:** -hums Wedding march-

* * *

A couple weeks later Sharon's parents land for their visit and they settle them in the basement guest room, apologizing for the sound of the four kids running around upstairs.

"Don't worry, it's a great sound," Mary assures them with a smile. Both her and Bill were enjoying getting to know Charlie and Nicole better, "You're getting Nicole and Charlie every weekend now?"

"Yeah," Andy nods with a smile as he sets their suitcase on the trunk at the foot of the bed, "And one night a week I pick all of them up from school and we usually go get dinner and go to the park or something."

"That's great," Mary smiles. Sharon looks up at the ceiling as she hears Emily's step shoes against the hardwood upstairs.

"Emily! Do you have those step shoes on again?"

"…no."

"Off, now!" Sharon yells up the stairs before shaking her head with a sigh. Emily had thoroughly enjoyed her step class during the summer and was currently enrolled in the beginner course at her dance school on the nights she wasn't at ballet. She loved wearing her shoes around the house and listening to them clack against the floor and Sharon was always after her to take them off so she wouldn't ruin the finish on the floor.

"If you want, feel free to wash up," Andy says, "We were going to order in for dinner, any preferences?"

"Anything is fine," Bill shakes his head. Andy and Sharon head back upstairs to give her parents a few minutes to settle in. Sharon picks up the discarded shoes from the middle of the kitchen floor and puts them in Emily's dance bag before hopping onto the counter next to where Andy was going through their takeout menus.

"What do your parents like to eat?"

"Anything," Sharon says with a grin, laughing as he looks up at her with an unamused furrow to his brow, "Seriously. They'll eat anything."

"Ow!" Charlie yells after running into the wall. Sharon sighs and looks at Andy with a roll of her eyes.

"Alright, all four of you outside!" Sharon yells out to the kids, watching as they breeze through the kitchen and out the back door, Lily barking at their heels. She climbs down from the counter and pulls the sliding screen shut before walking back over to Andy and wrapping an arm around his waist, "I wonder how battered and bruised this house is going to look by the time they are teenagers."

"Probably pretty rough," Andy laughs and holds up a Thai menu.

"Oooh, Thai sounds good," Sharon agrees, grabbing the menu and opening it up. She writes down an order for them on a notepad, handing the piece of paper to Andy, "You'll call it in?"

"Yeah," Andy nods. Sharon kisses him softly before wandering through the house and picking up after the kids, tossing all of the toys into the bin in the living room before going out back to keep an eye on them. He calls in their dinner order to be delivered and rattles off his credit card number before hanging up the phone and heading out back, "They said it would be about forty five minutes."

"That's fine," Sharon says as she leans into his hold as he wraps his arm around her, "Mmm, have you heard anything from the church about your paperwork?"

"Father Espinoza said that they were supposed to look at it next week - finally," Andy shrugs, "Just an initial review."

"I'm sure my mom and I will end up shopping at some point this week," Sharon says, "I was thinking of maybe looking at dresses."

"Wedding dresses?"

"Yeah," Sharon shrugs, "Doesn't seem like a terrible idea."

"This could be a long process," Andy says.

"I'm still going to want to marry you at the end," Sharon says with a soft laugh. She looks up at Andy with a smile and reaches back to stroke his cheek.

"What if I get told no?"

"No matter what I'm going to marry you, with or without the church," Sharon says, "I know that I said different when we were in Utah, but…things change."

"Okay," Andy nods, leaning down and pressing a kiss to Sharon's lips. She hums happily and kisses him back, only pulling away when she hears the door open.

"What are you two love birds out here doing?" Mary inquires as she steps onto the patio.

"Oh just keeping an eye on the kids," Sharon smiles, "Dinner will be here in about half an hour. We ordered Thai food."

"That sounds great," Mary smiles.

"Grandma! Come see the flowers we planted," Emily says as she runs over before pulling Mary across the yard. Bill steps out a moment later and shuts the screen door behind him.

"When did you put a pool in?" He asks as he stuffs his hands in his pockets, evaluating the back yard.

"This summer," Sharon says, "We got it finished around the middle of August. Little splurge, better work out for the mornings too."

"It's nice, they did a good job," Bill compliments as he steps out into the yard, "Andy you do a good job with the yard."

"Thanks," Andy says, "Shar does most of the planting around the edge, rock work. I just try to keep the weeds at bay."

"Kids still use the swing set?"

"All the time," Sharon responds. They all hang out in the back yard until the doorbell rings and Sharon sends the kids inside to wash up. After dinner Mary helps Sharon clean up the dishes before they get out a half gallon of ice cream and make cones for the kids. The four of them sit on the back porch with their feet dangling off the edge as they lap at the chocolate desert.

Having Sharon's parents around the for the week was nice. They generally spent the day off exploring the town on their own and since Sharon had arranged to leave early during the week were able to pick up Emily and Ricky from school each day with her. The first couple days they watched in on Emily's ballet and step classes, proud to see how far their granddaughter had come in her dance education. On Wednesday, Andy spent his usual evening with the kids while Sharon and her parents went to dinner. Thursday they took Ricky to a small park downtown, enjoying some one on one time with him as they waited for Emily's class to be over.

Sharon had taken Friday off to spend the day with her mom since she was going to a Dodgers game with her dad the next day. After taking the kids to school and getting breakfast at a small cafe downtown they set their sights on the town to do some shopping. The two women work their way through a few shopping districts before Sharon pulls her mother into a dress boutique. She flips through the racks, looking at the different cuts and silhouettes before breaking the silence.

"What do you think about a wedding next summer at the house?" Sharon asks her mother as she pulls a dress out and looks at it, "Something simple in the back yard. You and Dad, Andy's family…Dinner after?"

"At our house?"

"Yeah," Sharon says, holding onto the dress, "I don't…I don't want to do the big church wedding again. I just want to do something simple. The East Coast seems like the best location, we could drop the kids off with you guys before we went on a honeymoon, no one else has to travel."

"I think that sounds fine."

"You and Daddy wouldn't mind?"

"Of course not," Mary shakes her head. Sharon smiles and continues to search through the dresses, finding a few she wanted to try on before heading into the changing room, "What were you thinking for a dress?"

"What about something like this?" Sharon asks as she steps out of the room, smoothing her hand over the dress she had put on. The dress was off white and the hem brushed just below her knees with a lace overlay. The skirt was a loose a-line and it was topped off with an illusion neckline and cap sleeves.

"It looks lovely on you, but it's hardly a wedding dress," Mary says as her daughter looks at herself in the mirror. Sharon gives her hips a twist as she shakes the skirt out, watching as it flares.

"Taffeta and puff is hardly what I wear anymore," Sharon says as she looks at her mother through the mirror, "I think it's perfect for a May wedding."

"It's your wedding, darling," Mary says, "Whatever is going to make you happy."

"Change of tune from the last time," Sharon says with a grin as she goes back to looking at herself in the mirror.

"I'm not paying for it this time," Mary says with her own grin, "Besides you looked lovely in my dress."

"I know," Sharon sighs and tilts her head, "I like this. It's simple, it's classic. I could wear it again..."

"Then get it. I think Andy will love it."

"Okay," Sharon nods with a smile before going back into the dressing room to change. She tries on the couple other dresses she had taken in before coming out in her own clothes. She puts the other two dresses on the return rack before going to pay for the dress for the wedding. The dress gets tucked away into a garment bag and Sharon hands over her credit card before thanking the attendant as she hands her the bag and receipt, "Are you ready for lunch?"

"I could use a break," Mary says as she follows Sharon out of the store.

"How about the deli? Andy was going to cook for dinner. There's one on the way back downtown that we really like and we can just mill around there until the kids get out of school?" Sharon suggests.

"Sure," Mary nods. The two of them make their way back to the car, loading their purchases into the trunk. They enjoy a leisurely lunch at the deli that Sharon had mentioned before picking up the kids from school and taking them home. Sharon gets a few things ready for dinner before greeting Andy with a kiss when he gets home.

"Hi handsome," She murmurs as she leans her body into his.

"Hi beautiful," Andy smiles, wrapping his arm around her, "Did you have a good day with your mom?"

"I did. We did some shopping, I picked up a couple ties for you. And I found a dress."

"Oh you did?" Andy says with an intrigued voice, "Any chance of a modeling session?"

"Not until you make an honest woman out of me," Sharon smiles, "I got some dinner stuff started for you, and I can give you a hand if you like."

"That sounds nice," Andy nods. He goes to greet the kids and Sharon's parents before rolling up his sleeves and heading back to the kitchen to start on dinner. Sharon gets everything out for him and the two of them work in tandem, talking quietly as they cook.

"So I talked to my mom earlier," Sharon says as she mixes some things together in a bowl, "And I was thinking that we would get married in Connecticut next spring. That way both of our families can come, we can have something small at my parents house."

"You don't want something bigger?" Andy asks. Sharon shakes her head and hands Andy the bowl, wrapping her arms around his waist as he stands at the stove.

"I just need you and the people that are important to us there," Sharon mumbles into his back, "My parents will have to watch the kids if we want to go on a honeymoon. Did you want something bigger?"

"I don't know," Andy says, "I haven't really thought about the actual wedding too much."

"Well we should probably do that soon," Sharon says, "I was thinking around the end of May maybe. Only gives us eight months or so."

"Sounds like you've been thinking about this quite a bit," Andy comments.

"I have. Since we got the money," Sharon says, "I want to be your wife, Andy. I don't want anything to stand between us anymore."

"Me either," Andy says, lifting her hand to his mouth and kissing her engagement ring.

"So we'll plan a wedding?"

"We will plan a wedding."

* * *

[TBC]


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes:** Thanks to everyone for your reviews last chapter! I honestly hadn't thought about something messing up the wedding but now that you all put it in my head...hmmm...

* * *

Before jumping in to focusing on their own wedding they had another one to focus on - Vicky and Dan's. Dan had proposed to Vicky over Memorial Day weekend and after some quick planning had been able to secure a date mid-October. An invite had been extended to the entire family and Nicole and Charlie were part of the wedding, coming home with Sharon and Andy while the happy couple went on their honeymoon.

Sharon looks up from the mirror as she hears a low whistle come from behind her, grinning as she sees Andy leaning in the doorway of the bathroom.

"You look lovely," Andy compliments as his eyes trail over her form. She was dressed in an off the shoulder long sleeve black cocktail dress and had twisted her hair up into a french twist at the back of her head.

"You're looking pretty handsome as well," Sharon compliments as she twists her lipstick back down and puts the cap on before turning to fully look at Andy. He had chosen a black suit and was wearing a purple tie to match the dress that Emily was wearing, which in turn was similar to what Nicole had been given to wear. She steps closer and wraps her fingers around his tie, stroking it playfully, "Are the kids ready to go?"

"They are, unless they managed to get undressed in the two minutes I've been in here," Andy says as he looks down at her, "Which is entirely possible."

"We should get going," Sharon says, leaning up and pecking Andy on the lips before calling out for the kids as she walks through the bedroom.

"Look at my dress, Mommy," Emily says as she meets Sharon in the hallway, spinning around in the new dress they had gotten her for the big event.

"I know, princess," Sharon smiles, "You look lovely."

"Daddy and I match!"

"You do!" Sharon says as she guides her down the hallway. Ricky was standing on his toes at the living room window, looking out into the front yard. She leans down and picks him up, putting him on her hip, "Look at you handsome."

"Mama! Look petty," Ricky grins at her.

"Thank you," Sharon smiles, nuzzling his chubby cheek. Ricky was dressed in black dress pants and a white button-up shirt with suspenders and a clip on purple bowtie. Andy had even put a little bit of gel in his hair to keep his hair from flipping up, "Alright, let's hit the road. We don't want to be late."

"Car's unlocked," Andy says as he grabs the keys out of the bowl, straightening his own tie before handing Sharon Ricky's diaper bag, "Present is in the trunk."

"You didn't wrap it did you?" Sharon jokes as she takes the kids outside. Emily climbs into the back seat of Sharon's car and Sharon sets Ricky into his carseat, letting him buckle himself in.

"No," Andy says as he sticks his tongue out at her, "I didn't wrap it. See if I ever buy you a present again."

"Oh you will," Sharon grins as she shuts the back seat door and turns around, winking at him, "I love your wrapping anyway."

"Oh yeah?" Andy grins, wiggling his eyebrows at her. Sharon laughs and walks around to the passenger side of the car to get in. Andy drives them to the temple that the ceremony and reception were going to be held at, managing to find a parking spot in the full lot. She grabs Ricky and the diaper bag as he grabs Emily's hand, planning to come back for the present later.

They make their way into the temple and find a partially open pew on Vicky's side. Sharon sets Ricky down along with his bag before pressing a kiss to his head and straightening out his shirt as he looks around. Andy sighs as he looks around himself.

"I haven't been around this much of her family since before the divorce," Andy murmurs in Sharon's direction with an arched eyebrow.

"You'll be fine," Sharon assures him with a smile. Her eyes look behind him as a younger woman comes up, dressed in a light violet gown with her hair pulled up into a curled updo.

"Andy, thank god you're here."

"Carrie, hi," Andy says as he turns around so he can see Carrie, "Sharon, this is Vicky's younger sister, Carrie. Carrie, this is Sharon."

"Actually you're who I need," Carrie says reaching out for Sharon's hand, "Nicole has been asking for you all day."

"She has?" Sharon says, her eyes widening in surprise as she looks up at Andy, "I…"

"Go, I've got the kids," Andy assures her. Sharon shuffles past and follows Carrie towards where the bridal party was getting ready.

"What's going on?"

"We had a hair stylist come in to do everyone's hair, Nicole would not have it," Carrie explains as they walk, "She kept saying she wanted you to do it. Vicky was hoping she would come around, but the ceremony is supposed to start soon and she's not budging."

"That's her father in her," Sharon jokes as they step into the room.

"Sharon!" Nicole exclaims running over.

"Hi sweetie," Sharon says as she wraps her arms around her, "Don't you look pretty?"

"Can you do my hair?" Nicole pleads as she wraps her arms around Sharon's legs.

"Of course, of course. What do you want me to do?" Sharon asks as she walks Nicole over to a chair and has her sit down.

"That thing you do with Emily's ponytail, with the really bouncy curlies," Nicole explains.

"Alright, give me one second okay?" Sharon says. She steps away from the girl and lets out a big breath as she looks at Vicky, "You look great. It'll take me about twenty minutes to do her hair, do you have a curling iron and some hair spray?"

"Yeah, yeah," Vicky gestures at her sister. Carrie hands Sharon a curling iron, a can of hairspray, and a comb. Sharon plugs the iron in and sets it down to heat up before combing out Nicole's ponytail.

"Is there anything that she needs to wear in her hair?"

"She has this headband," Vicky passes over, "Thank you for coming to do this."

"No problem," Sharon smiles, "I'm sorry she…"

"I've learned to deal with the Flynn temper a long time ago," Vicky says with a smile, sitting down on the arm of a chair as she watches Sharon start to curl her daughter's hair.

"Are you excited?" Sharon asks.

"Mmm, little nervous," Vicky shrugs, "And excited…In an hour I'll be better with a drink in my hand."

"Won't we all?" Sharon laughs. She works through Nicole's ponytail, curling out all of the sections into tight corkscrew curls. Once she finishes she turns the iron off and sets it back down, giving the ponytail another coating of hairspray before putting her headband on, "There I think that should do you Miss Nicole."

"Thank you," Nicole smiles up at her.

"You are very welcome," Sharon says, leaning down to press a kiss to her head before straightening up, "I am going to go rescue Andy, I suppose we'll see you in a few moments."

"Thank you again, Sharon," Vicky says.

"It's no problem at all," Sharon assures her before stepping out of the room and making her way back to the seats that she and Andy had claimed.

"Crisis averted?" Andy asks as he stands up to let her pass.

"Yes," Sharon nods as she sits down on his other side, Emily taking a seat next to her while Ricky sat in his father's lap, "Hair crisis. Your daughter was refusing to let the stylist do her hair, kept saying she wanted me to do it."

"Oh god," Andy laughs and shakes his head, "Seriously."

"Seriously," Sharon says, letting out a small chuckle of her own, "Oh my god, Andy, I was mortified going in there."

"I'm sorry," Andy says, pressing a kiss to her head as he wraps his arm around her shoulders.

"She looks cute though, like a little princess," Sharon says, leaning her head against Andy's shoulder, "Though I'm sure after Emily sees the full get up we'll be getting a request for a similar outfit."

"Probably," Andy smiles.

Sharon covers Andy's hand resting on his thigh as they sit through the ceremony, watching as Vicky and Dan exchange their vows in a semi traditional ceremony. As the two exchange rings he squeezes her hand and lifts it to his lips, pressing a soft kiss to her knuckles. Sharon smiles softly and squeezes his hand back, casting her eyes up at him for a quick moment.

"I love you," She whispers as she presses a soft kiss to his jaw.

"I love you too," Andy murmurs, pressing a kiss to her head. After the ceremony they make their way to the reception area with the rest of the guests for a cocktail hour while the wedding party gets pictures taken. Sharon steps up to the bar, getting a glass of wine for herself and a cranberry soda for Andy before bringing them back over to the table.

"The ceremony was lovely," Sharon comments as she takes a seat next to him, taking a sip of her wine.

"It was," Andy agrees, "Give you any ideas?"

"Mmm I have plenty of ideas," Sharon smiles.

"Mommy when are Nicole and Charlie going to be here?" Emily asks, leaning into her mother, "I'm bored."

"They should be here in a little bit honey," Sharon says, "Why don't you go out to the car with Daddy to get the present?"

"Yeah!" Emily says, "Daddy let's do that."

"Alright," Andy says as he gets up out of his chair, digging the car keys out of his pocket, "Is there anything you need from the car?"

"No I'm fine," Sharon says with a smile. Andy holds his hand out to Emily, walking out to the car with her to grab the gift from the trunk. Once they get back inside he lets her put it on the table before walking over to the table where Sharon and Ricky were sitting, the little one babbling up at his mother at an excited pace.

"And you were worried he was never going to talk," Andy jokes as sinks back down into his seat, pulling Emily onto his lap.

"I wasn't _worried_ , I was…concerned," Sharon says with a roll of her eyes just as the wedding party starts to walk in. Later in the evening, Andy sways Sharon across the floor as she keeps an eye on the kids playing over his shoulder, "They've had way too much cake."

"Don't worry about it," Andy says, directing her attention back to him, "I don't think it's enough that we're going to end up cleaning up vomit off the bedroom floor again."

"Oh, I had forgotten about that," Sharon laughs as she drops her head to Andy's shoulder.

"Really you forgot about that?"

"Mmhm," Sharon nods, "I mean everything up to that, I still very much remember."

"Good," Andy smiles and kisses her softly, "What are we dancing to at our wedding? What's 'our song'?"

"Sinatra," Sharon answers without a second thought, leaning her head back to look at Andy as they move, "I believe more precisely, I've Got You Under My Skin."

"Oh?"

"That's what we were dancing to that first night that we met at the bar," Sharon explains.

"Well it's definitely true," Andy comments as he spins Sharon around, "You were very much under my skin…still are."

"Lucky me," Sharon smiles before capturing his lips in a kiss as the song ends, "Come on, we should get the kids home and in bed."

* * *

[TBC]


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes:** Sorry for the delay! Busy week after a lazy weekend.

After talking to a couple people about the topic, I think we're going to just gently brush this story up against the LA Riots. I am not looking to do a deep dive into the politics of the LAPD and Race Relations at that time, but I do believe it's important to the professional development of these two characters and want to address that it took place, and potentially discuss what parts they might have played during that time.

As always it's great to hear from you guys - Shoutout to MoxiesdenLovesShandy for being my 200th review on this story, I can't believe we've gotten there!

* * *

"Mom, if you just send me the phone book I can look for myself," Sharon says into the mouthpiece of the phone as she stands at the stove making a late lunch/early dinner for herself, "I'm going to do what I can over the phone and then I'm hoping to schedule a weekend for Andy and I to fly out in February to do the in person stuff…yes, we are set on that weekend. It's when the kids get out of school. Thank you, I love you."

"Your mom?"

"Yes," Sharon says as she turns out the grilled cheese onto the plate sitting next to the stove before cutting it in half, "She's sending me a copy of the phone book so I can start calling people about the wedding. I was thinking we'd go out for a weekend in February to do the in person things."

"Sure," Andy nods, leaning down to take a bite off her grilled cheese.

"Hey!"

"What, I'm hungry?"

"Make your own food," Sharon furrows her brow, carrying her plate to the table as Andy scoffs at her. She picks up a booklet off the table and carries it into the living room, curling up in Andy's recliner. She opens the booklet to where the last post it note was sticking out, grabbing her pen off the coffee table before starting to read again. Andy steps into the living room a few minutes later with his own grilled cheese and sinks down onto the couch, turning the TV on.

"What are you reading?"

"The commission report," Sharon murmurs, not looking up from the words on the page.

"How many times have you read that thing?"

"This is the fifth," Sharon says as she grabs another note and sticks it onto the paper, scribbling a thought down onto it.

"Shar, you can't kill yourself with this stuff."

"It's not just stuff," Sharon says, "We've been over this."

"You're not single handedly going to change the future of the LAPD," Andy says as he looks over at her.

"No, but it doesn't hurt to try," Sharon says as she looks up from the paper in front of her and over at Andy, "You know that they were in the wrong. You know that this isn't going to end well any way that it ends…This is a turning point for the department, and it needs to go the right way."

"You have my vote," Andy says before turning back to the TV, "Oh. Father Espinoza called earlier. He wanted us to stop by after Mass tomorrow. Said he wanted to talk about the annulment paperwork."

"Already?" Sharon asks, taking a bite of her grilled cheese.

"Apparently," Andy shrugs.

"Hmm," Sharon hums before looking back down at the booklet in her lap. The two of them sit in silence for a while before Andy speaks up again as he gets up with his empty plate.

"When are the kids supposed to be home?" Andy calls from the kitchen. Charlie and Nicole had a fun night at their school and Vicky had offered to take Emily and Ricky with to give Sharon and Andy a little time alone before dropping off all four of them when she came back later in the evening.

"Soon," Sharon says after turning her wrist to look at her watch, "Vicky said it wasn't supposed to go past 6."

"Okay," Andy mumbles, putting his plate into the dishwasher before grabbing a glass of iced tea out of the fridge and padding back to the living room. He leans down and presses a kiss to the top of Sharon's head before sitting on the arm of the chair, "We could...you know."

"'You know?'" Sharon laughs and looks up at Andy as he sits on his perch next to her, "If you want to have sex you should probably be able to say the word sex."

"I can say the word sex," Andy protests, "You're sassy tonight."

"I thought you liked sassy," Sharon murmurs as she flutters her eyelashes at him.

"I like your brand of sassy," Andy says, leaning down to capture her lips and grabbing the booklet from her hands, tossing it onto the coffee table. Sharon chuckles against his lips and reaches up to grab his shirt in her hand, pulling him down on top of her.

The next morning Sharon hums as the alarm goes off and reaches out to turn it off before rolling over to face Andy, surprised to find him already awake. A soft smile melts across her face as she shuffles towards him and kisses him softly, humming again as his arm snakes around her waist and pulls her closer.

"Good morning," She mumbles as she pulls back, running her hand up his chest.

"Morning."

"Wanna hop in the shower with me?" Sharon offers.

"Yeah," Andy answers after chancing a glance at the clock. They could get into the shower and be done before any of the kids would be getting up.

"Last one in is a rotten egg," Sharon says with a grin as she slips out of bed and strides across the room, laughing as Andy's escape from bed is delayed by his eyes trailing down her nude form as she moves. As she reaches in to check the water temperature she feels him at her back, his hands on her hips. She shifts her stance back to brush against him before kissing him hungrily and pulling him into the warm spray with her.

After the shower Andy goes to get the kids up as Sharon starts to get ready for church. She lets her hair hang around her shoulders to dry in its natural curl as she applies a little bit of makeup, leaning over the bathroom counter. She gets dressed in a sweater and skirt before going to take over with the kids so Andy could get ready. After all of the kids are dressed she gives them a small snack to get them through mass before sending them out to the car as she carries Ricky out.

"Are we going to get breakfast after?" Charlie asks as he climbs into the car.

"Yep, we will go get breakfast after," Sharon tells him, "Your dad and I have to talk to Father Espinoza after Mass, so I will make you a deal..."

"What?" Charlie asks as he buckles his belt.

"If you guys are super good for Sister Margaret today we can go to the place that has the make your own waffles."

"Ooh! That's my favorite!" Nicole pipes up.

"I know," Sharon smiles as she buckles Ricky into his seat. Andy comes up to the car putting his hand on her hip as he stands behind her.

"Charlie, you riding in front this time?" Andy asks the boy as he settles in the middle seat in the front of the car. It was the only way to properly fit all four kids in the car.

"Mmhm," Charlie nods with a smile. Andy squeezes Sharon's hip before getting into the driver's seat and turning the engine over. After making sure the girls and Ricky were buckled up she moves around to the other side of the car and climbs in herself, smiling at Andy with a small wink.

"I was telling the kids that since we have to stay a little longer if they're good we could go to breakfast at Murphy's."

"I think that sounds like a great idea," Andy agrees as he backs out of the driveway and pulls away from the house. He reaches over to tickle Charlie, "Do you think you can do it? Do you think you can be good at mass?"

"Yes!" Charlie yells as he laughs, trying to squirm away from Andy's tickling fingers. Once they get to the church Andy manages to find a parking spot in the lot, waiting for all of the kids to get out before locking up. He holds onto Nicole's hand as they walk inside, walking the kids down to their Sunday School class and dropping them off before heading to the main service for themselves. Sharon threads her fingers with Andy's as they walk, squeezing his hand gently as they shuffle their way down a pew. She continues to hold onto his hand through the service, her thumb gently brushing over his knuckles as she listens.

"I like it when you come with me," Sharon murmurs as they watch while people take communion. Her eyes flick away from the line of people and she looks over at Andy, "It's nice."

"I don't mind coming more often," Andy says, "This has always kind of been your thing though."

"I wouldn't mind you coming more," Sharon shrugs with a smile.

"Okay," Andy smiles. Sharon's smile widens and she leans over to press a kiss to his cheek, her lips lingering for a moment. Once the line dwindles and the patrons start to filter out, Sharon stands, smiling as she sees Father Espinoza making his way over to them.

"Father…"

"Sharon, Andy, it's good to see both of you. If you want to follow me to my office, I don't think this should take too long," The priest smiles, holding his hand out. Sharon nods and steps out of the pew, waiting for Andy before following the man back to his office. They both take a seat in front of the desk as he shuts the door before hanging his robes up and walking around to his side of the desk, "So, I asked you both to stop by today because I had finally taken the chance to look over Andy's annulment request and I thought it would be good for both of you to hear this."

"Of course," Sharon says, her fingers flipping out to curl around Andy's again as a small knot sinks into her stomach. She didn't _care_ per say if they had a Catholic wedding or not, but it did appeal to her.

"Don't worry it's good news," Father Espinoza says, observing apprehension from both of them, "Andy, because you and your ex-wife married at the courthouse, and the wedding was not presided over by a member of the church, you actually don't have a marriage to nullify. Sharon, obviously, while tragic, Jack's passing has absolved you of any nullification requirements as well."

"Why do I feel like there is a but in here?"

"There is," Father Espinoza says, "You both _are_ free to marry within the church again, or for the first time in your case Andy, but it would be my recommendation that the two of you participate in some form of pre-marital counseling. I think it would benefit both of you greatly and really investigate any previous issues you may have had in your past marriages and how you're actively changing those things."

"Pre-marital counseling?" Sharon says, her brow arching a fraction.

"Correct," He nods, "There are a couple options we offer here at the church, but those are generally geared towards first timers. My suggestion would be an licensed marriage therapist who works in line with our teachings."

"But we don't _have_ to right?" Andy asks.

"No, of course not, but I do think it would help nip some potential future conflicts in the bud. I think you two are a great match for each other, but everyone has their flaws. Sharon, I've spent a lot of time talking with you since you became a member of our congregation, and Andy, you were very detailed in your testimony that you handed in with your paperwork…but this isn't a decision that needs to be made today, right now. I just wanted to let you both know what the situation was with your previous marriages and offer some insight," Father Espinoza says, shrugging with a small smile. He pulls out Andy's folder and paperclips a couple pieces of paper to the front, "I'm attaching some contact info for the couple therapists that we recommend and work with directly, along with the information for the classes that the church offers. Do with it what you please, but _please_ discuss it."

"Of course, Father," Sharon says as she takes the folder from him, "Thank you so much for your help in this matter."

"Absolutely, that's what I'm here for," He smiles, "I hope the two of you have a lovely rest of your day."

"You as well," Andy reciprocates before offering his hand out to Sharon as he stands. She slips her hand into his and follows him out of the office after offering her own final goodbye. The two of them begin making their way towards the Sunday School room to pick up the kids, each lost in their own thoughts.

"So…therapy huh?" Andy says, breaking the silence as they turn down a hallway.

"Maybe," Sharon shrugs, looking over at him, "We'll have to look into it."

* * *

[TBC]


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes:** Thanks for the reviews from the last chapter - I'm glad everyone enjoyed it. This chapter is a little on the shorter side, but I think you will enjoy it none the less. Please let me know what you think!

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"No sex? Until the wedding?" Andy repeats as they sit in the therapist's office. Sharon was seated next to him on the couch and their hands were linked together over the middle cushion. They had contacted the therapist, or Doctor Susan as she preferred to be referred to, that Father Espinoza had suggested to them and sat through a few sessions with her. After their first session they had realized that there were some things that they needed talk about and agreed to come back. They liked the woman they were seeing. She seemed understanding of everything they had been through and wasn't too pushy at getting them to live a 'Catholic' life. At least until now it seemed.

"That's what I'm going to challenge you guys to do," Doctor Susan says as she leans forward in her seat, her legs crossed, "Your initial relationship was built purely on sex. The first time you encountered each other, you had sex. And yes you maintained a semi friendly relationship for a while after that, but the next time that you really sought each other out again, you had sex. And everything that has happened over the last few years, has been because of those decisions. Take the next few months, continue to get to know each other on an emotional level without the physicality coming into play."

"Okayyyy," Andy says, reaching up to rub the back of his neck as he looks over at Sharon, with wide eyes. They were hardly sex crazed, but had maintained a healthy sex life for the most part since they had officially 'gotten together'. Her ears were red and her cheeks were rapidly coloring, but Sharon offers a small smile in his direction and squeezes his hand before looking back at Doctor Susan.

"I think we can manage to do that."

"Good," The doctor smiles at the both of them, "Now I know we're going into the holidays and things get a little crazy schedule wise, but I would like to see you a couple more times before the end of the year, just to see how things are going, finish up some of the dialogue that we've started here."

"Of course," Sharon nods, standing up from the couch and letting go of Andy's hand as she smoothes out her dress, "Thank you again for your help."

"Wait, I have a question," Andy says, "If we're not having sex what about…uh…"

"Andy!" Sharon exclaims as she looks at her fiancé, her face getting redder.

"I personally believe that masturbation is healthy," The doctor replies, "But I would encourage you to look at this not only as a break from sexual intercourse, but a brief vow of chastity."

"Right…" Andy grumbles as he pushes himself up, "Thanks doc."

"That's what I'm here for," Doctor Susan replies before getting up and showing the both of them out, before welcoming her next patient back. Sharon pays for the session and schedules another appointment for them a couple weeks out. She thanks the receptionist and takes Andy's hand again as they walk out of the office and head for the elevator to make their way down to the parking garage. Andy manages to wait for the doors of the elevator to close before speaking again.

"No sex for five months?!" Andy exclaims, flipping his hand up in the air, "I'm not even supposed to jerk off!"

"Can we wait to have this conversation until we get home? Or at least the car," Sharon requests, her face starting to redden again. She was by no means a prude, but didn't want to be having an in-depth discussion about her sex life the next time the elevator doors opened.

"I would have enjoyed last night a little more if I had known," Andy grumbles, leaning against the wall of the elevator like a sulking teenager. Sharon rolls her eyes and stands across from him as they take the elevator down. They manage to make it to the garage level without anymore interruptions in their ride before heading towards their car, parked in the corner.

Andy unlocks the car and Sharon slips into the passenger seat before pulling her seatbelt closed as he gets in. Sharon watches as he stews on the ride home, his fingers tapping a quick rhythm against the wheel while he drives. She puts her hand on his leg when they get home, squeezing to get him to look at her.

"What has you so riled up?" Sharon asks, a concerned arch to her brow, "It can't just be about not having sex."

"It is though!" Andy exclaims.

"Talk to me," Sharon says, reaching up to cup his face and stroking her thumb over his jaw, "You haven't had a problem with that the last couple weeks, don't start now."

"I…" Andy sighs, looking down at his lap.

"Let's go in, I'll make some coffee and we can talk," Sharon says. She gets out of the car and heads inside, starting a pot of coffee. After letting Lily out of her kennel, she gets out two cups, putting a dollop of cream in one and a little sugar in both before looking up as Andy trudges into the house. He kicks off his shoes and hangs his jacket up, sinking down into a chair at the table. Sharon brings over the two cups, setting them down on the table before making a surprise sound as she's pulled into Andy's lap.

"I like feeling close to you," Andy murmurs into her ear as he wraps an arm around her waist, "I love the look in your eye when you look at me, how my name sounds on your lips…for a moment you're all mine…there's no work, no kids, just us."

"I'm always going to be yours," Sharon says as she presses her lips to his forehead, "You don't ever have to worry about that."

"We didn't have a traditional relationship," Andy says, "The kids were always there. And I love them, you know that, but there are so very few moments in the day that I get to have you completely to myself."

"We don't need to be having sex for you to have me. You have me right now," Sharon says. They had pursued finding another babysitter/nanny for the kids after Sarah had graduated from college and moved away from the LA area. She had suggested Molly as a successor and Sharon and Andy were quick to snatch her up before she got too busy, "I'm guessing that Molly won't have the kids back for a little bit. She said they were going to the park."

"What do we do?" Andy asks, reaching out to take a drink of his coffee.

"I didn't get a swim in this morning since Ricky woke me up early. We could jump in the pool," Sharon suggests as she runs her fingers through Andy's hair, her nails trailing gently over his scalp, "We could change into sweats and curl up on the couch, watch that movie we rented. I was going to bake some cookies at some point this weekend, if you wanted to help me with that."

"I think a movie sounds great," Andy says.

"Okay," Sharon smiles at him, "Let's go change, and I'll even make some popcorn."

"Sounds great," Andy smiles at her. Sharon slips off of his lap and heads down the hallway, changing into a pair of leggings and an oversized, worn-out Yale sweatshirt. She pulls her hair into a ponytail and makes her way back to the kitchen as Andy changes, topping off their coffees before making a bowl of popcorn. She sets it on the coffee table in the living room and brings their drinks in before putting in the movie to get through the previews. She grabs a blanket from the closet in the hall as Andy lumbers into the living room. He sinks down onto one end and Sharon comes over, nudging him to put his legs up before settling between them with her head on his chest.

"Okay?" Sharon asks.

"Perfect," Andy says, wrapping his arm around her. She wraps her arm around his and sighs as she settles in, smiling as he reaches over and grabs the bowl of popcorn, balancing it on her stomach. Sharon manages to pay attention to half of the movie before she dozes off, her fingers gently tangled with Andy's as she breathes softly while she rests against his chest.

After the movie finishes Andy comments on the quality and asks Sharon what else she wanted to watch as he turns it over to the cable. When she doesn't respond he looks down and notices her fast asleep, a serene look on her face. He brushes a loose curl away and strokes her cheek as he studies her face. There were times he came into bed after she had fallen asleep and saw her laying in bed with a furrowed brow as she slept, even if one of the kids was lying next to her. The furrow never went away until he slipped in next to her. He wondered what she was thinking about to cause the wrinkle in her brow, whether or not she was worrying about him, worrying about him drinking again. Sometimes he wondered if she was thinking about anything at all and simply just wanted him there.

Andy presses a soft kiss to her forehead, noting that there was no furrow in her brow as he adjusts his hold on her. He sighs softly and turns his eyes back to the tv as he flips through a few channels before settling on a show, turning the volume down once he does. He sits quietly as she sleeps, letting her get in a good nap, not speaking until he feels her move with a hum in her throat.

"Did I fall asleep?" Sharon asks as she shifts, looking up at Andy with half lidded eyes.

"Yeah, looks like you needed it though," Andy reassures her, smiling softly.

"I'm sorry," Sharon says with a small yawn. She shuffles up further and presses a kiss to his lips before resting her chin on his chest as she looks up at him, "So..."

"I can wait until the wedding," Andy says with a sigh, his hand rubbing up her back, "I will always wait for you. God knows you're worth it."

"You're too sweet," Sharon murmurs as she leans up again to kiss him, "I love you."

"I love you too," Andy smiles, winking at her as they hear the front door open, "The hoard is home."

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[TBC]


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes:** Glad to know I can still surprise you guys with the last chapter, hahaha. I already have one vote for Sharon breaking down before the big day, does anyone else think that it might be Andy? Or are they going to make it?

Also - we've made it to Chapter 30 folks! Would you believe me if I said that when I set out to start writing this I thought it was maybe going to be 12 chapters max? (we have also come way off the rails from what the original story was supposed to be as well, but that's for another chapter) Anyway, I hope you enjoy this, please read and review!

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"But why are you going out without us?" Emily whines as she holds onto Andy's arm, trying to stop him from leaving with Sharon. After the 'No Sex' request from Doctor Susan the couple had been making an effort to revive their date nights they had together before they had officially started dating, which meant hiring a babysitter more frequently than either of the kids was currently used to. Ricky seemed to be going with the flow, settling once his attention was distracted from his mother to Molly. Emily, however, was taking it a little harder.

"Your mom and I are going on a date," Andy says as he picks her up, sighing as she locks her legs around his waist, "It's just for a couple hours, I doubt you'll even notice we're gone."

"Will too!" Emily pouts, tears pooling in her brown eyes.

"Molly brought a movie for you, and some fun games."

"I don't want to," Emily says, "I wanna play with you."

"Emily come on, or Daddy and I are going to be late," Sharon says as she walks down the hall, finishing putting her earring in as she finds her daughter pouting and on the verge of tears.

"Don't go," Emily whimpers and sniffles, a couple tears finally spilling over.

"Honey, we'll be back to tuck you in for bed tonight," Andy promises her before prying her away from him and setting her down on the couch. Emily bursts into tears and he looks at Sharon helplessly. Sharon shakes her head and leans down pressing a kiss to Emily's forehead before walking over and doing the same to Ricky as he sits on the floor playing with Molly.

"She'll be fine in a few minutes," Sharon says to Molly before ushering Andy out of the house.

"What's with the tears? All day she was excited for Molly to come over," Andy says as they walk to the car, "I feel bad for leaving her."

"She's just going through a bit of a clingy phase," Sharon assures him, "I guarantee you we could do a lap around the block and come back and she would be fine."

"I hope so," Andy sighs as he opens her door for her, "Did you decide what you want to do tonight?"

"Let's have dinner down by the beach," Sharon suggests as she sinks down into the passenger seat, "Is that okay?"

"Yeah of course," Andy smiles, leaning down to kiss her before shutting the door and going back around to the driver's side. He gets in and buckles up before turning the car on and backing down the driveway, heading for the beach. He reaches over and takes Sharon's hand as he drives, threading their fingers together.

"So where are we headed?" Sharon asks as she looks over at him, "You told me to pick beach or movies but didn't say what we were doing."

"It's a surprise," Andy says with a smile.

"You know how I feel about those," Sharon says, teasingly digging her nails into his hand.

"You'll like it, I promise," Andy assures her as he lifts her hand to his lips.

"Oh I don't doubt it," Sharon smiles, "What movie would we have gone to see?"

"Star Wars," Andy tells her, looking over as he pulls to a stop at a light, "There was an art house downtown that was playing it that has some pretty good food too."

"Star Wars?" Sharon says, her tone erring on the side of astonished, "We were going to go to Star Wars if I had picked the movie?"

"Yeah," Andy nods and checks the light before looking back at her, "What you don't like Star Wars?"

"No, I like Star Wars…" Sharon shakes her head with a small smile, "It's just very…datey."

"Datey?" Andy questions as he pulls through the light, continuing on their journey.

"Yeah," Sharon says, "I mean I went on one of my first dates in college to that movie. He took me out for cheap pizza and we went to that afterward."

"Mmm, Vick and I went to go see it together too," Andy says with a shrug, "It's a good movie though."

"It is," Sharon smiles. She squeezes his hand and presses her lips to his knuckles, "Maybe we can rent it one weekend and watch it with the kids. I doubt Ricky will get anything, but I think the other three would enjoy watching it."

"That would be nice," Andy agrees, "Maybe before we go to Hartford?"

"Sure," Sharon nods, looking up as he pulls into a parking spot at a beach side restaurant. Her eyes widen fractionally before a soft smile eases across her lips and her eyes crinkle.

"Is this datey?" Andy asks as he parks the car and looks over at her. Sharon rolls her eyes and she looks over at him, shaking her head as she leans over to press a soft kiss to his lips.

"This is very datey, but absolutely perfect," Sharon murmurs before looking back at the restaurant, "We went on our first 'non-date' here."

"We did, and we have been back a few times since, but I thought it was a good choice," Andy comments, squeezing her hand. He gets out and goes around to her side of the car, opening her door and offering his hand. Sharon takes his hand and gets out of the car before wrapping her arm around his as he walks her inside. Andy gives his name at the host stand, holding on to Sharon's arm as they follow the hostess back to a table by the window. He thanks her as he pulls out Sharon's chair, pushing her in before taking a seat of his own. Sharon smiles across the table at him and reaches out to give his hand a squeeze before picking up her menu.

"What looks good tonight?" Sharon inquires with a smile as she looks over the print.

"Besides you?" Andy winks before looking at the menu himself.

After dinner Sharon ends up ordering a scoop of the house made gelato on a cone, carrying it out to the beach as she follows behind Andy. Her tongue darts out to lap the dripping chocolate confection as she falls in step with him, their hands wrapped together.

"I don't know how you can eat that, it's 60 degrees outside," Andy comments as he watches his fiancée attack the cone with a sparkle in her eye.

"Never too cold for ice cream," Sharon tells him seriously as she offers the cone in his direction. Andy shakes his head with a smile and squeezes her hand. She shrugs and returns to her treat, catching the stray drips, "I love ice cream in the middle of winter."

"Why?" Andy asks.

"I dunno," Sharon shrugs again, her tongue twirling around the cone, "I've always been more of an ice cream in the winter person. I don't really enjoy it in the summer."

If he focused too long he started to feel jealous of the chocolate cream. It had been two months since the therapist had tasked them with no longer indulging in each other. Most mornings it was only a dull throb, others it was a sharp ache of want. Want to hold her close, want to hear her cry out, want to feel her surrounding him. Yet sometimes she would tease him, wantonly indulging in snacks that she normally wouldn't have given second thought to. He got his own licks in, taking an interest in working on both of their cars over the weekends and maybe shrinking his undershirts a bit in the dryer.

"Andy!" Sharon snaps after he ignores her first few attempts at speaking. Andy's eyes widen and he focuses on her eyes, giving her a sheepish look.

"Sorry, you were saying?"

"I was asking," Sharon says pointedly as she swipes her tongue over the cone again, a small smirk on her lips, "If you had any plans with the boys while I take Emily and Nicole to look at dresses this weekend."

"Oh," Andy says, squeezing her hand, "I was thinking about taking them down to the aquarium in Santa Monica. I think they would enjoy that, keep them occupied for a couple hours."

"That sounds nice," Sharon says, a brilliant smile taking over her face.

"We could meet up with you girls after we're done," Andy suggests, "Maybe get lunch?"

"Sure. That sounds great," Sharon smiles, leaning into Andy as she finishes her cone and licks her lips clean of any remnants. Andy's arm slips around her waist as he lets go of her hand, pressing a kiss to her head. He guides her to a bench and sits down with her, keeping his arm wrapped around her as they sit facing the ocean. The sun was setting on the horizon but a storm was rolling in, dimming the effect of the sunset.

Sharon rests her hand on his leg, squeezing softly as she leans into him while her eyes trail over the endless ocean and the sky. After a few moments she looks up at him, surprised to find him looking down at her instead of out at the horizon. She smiles softly and leans up to press her lips to his, giving his leg another squeeze.

"How you doing?" Andy asks as he studies the flecks in her eyes, pieces of gold dancing among the green and hazel.

"I'm doing good," Sharon says as she tips her head back a bit, "Tonight has been nice, I like spending time with you."

"I hope so, otherwise we really shouldn't be getting married," Andy grins. Sharon rolls her eyes and smacks him on the chest lightly.

"You know what I mean."

"I do," Andy nods.

"What about you?" Sharon inquires, "How are you doing?"

"Okay. I'll be glad when we're finally married, but these last couple months have been…" Andy shrugs as he pulls his eyes away from hers, looking down, "…I wish I could have met you fifteen years ago you know?"

"I know," She says softly and reaches out to touch Andy's cheek, stroking her thumb over his skin gently, "But then you wouldn't have Charlie and Nicole, and Emily and Ricky wouldn't be who they are…We've got right now. And the future."

"And the future is full of possibilities," Andy repeats the mantra she had given him when he dwelled too hard on past discretions. He looks back up at her and offers her a slight smile.

"And it's ours," Sharon says, pressing her lips to his. Andy deepens the kiss slightly, tasting the lingering chocolate on her tongue as he does. A strong breeze hits them dead on and she shivers as she moves closer to his warmth, slipping her hands inside of his jacket to warm herself, but not pulling away from his kiss. It isn't until the second breeze comes along, bringing with it a rumble of thunder, that Sharon pulls away. She pants softly and smiles at him as she licks her bottom lip.

"We should probably head home," Andy suggests.

"Probably," Sharon agrees with a quiet tone. She strokes her fingers over his cheek as she smiles at him, "Though I wouldn't mind staying on this bench and necking like a couple of teenagers."

"Me either," Andy agrees as he stands, offering his hand out to her, "But I did promise our daughter that we would be home to tuck her into bed."

"You did," Sharon nods, taking his hand. They make their way back to the car, kissing each other one more time before they get in and head home. Emily immediately jumps into her mother's arms once they get home, wrapping her arms and legs around her as Andy thanks Molly and pays her. He locks up behind the babysitter and follows Sharon back to Emily's room, lingering in the doorway as she lays the small girl out in her bed.

"Mommy?"

"Yes, my darling ballerina?" Sharon replies as she drapes the blankets out over Emily.

"Did Daddy take you out on a nice date?" Emily asks as she yawns and gets snuggled up in her blanket. Andy smiles as she loops the blanket around one leg and sticks her foot out from underneath, wiggling her toes.

"Daddy took me out on a very nice date," Sharon smiles as she sits on the edge of Emily's bed, "Guess what he got me?"

"What?"

"He bought me a chocolate ice cream cone, and didn't even make me share it."

"That's awesome," Emily grins.

"That's the kind of great guy your dad is," Sharon smiles and leans down, peppering kisses over her face, "I love you. Sleep tight."

"I love you too," Emily says as she wraps her arms around her mother and gives her a quick hug before letting her go. Sharon gets up and winks at Andy before going to check on Ricky in Charlie and Nicole's room. They'd been trying to get him to sleep in a big boy bed, not ready to get rid of the crib until he was fully bought into the idea. Andy steps into the room and over to Emily's bed before leaning down and pressing a kiss to the little girl's head as he turns her bedside light off.

"Night Em."

"Night Daddy," Emily mumbles, "I missed you, but I'm glad you and Mommy had fun."

"I missed you too honey."

* * *

[TBC]


	31. Chapter 31

**Notes:** Thanks for the reviews last chapter, I'm glad everyone is enjoying!

* * *

Andy grunts as his fist connects with the bag once more, working through a couple combinations before he reaches up to wipe the sweat from his forehead. He was lined up with the boxing bag in the corner of the LAPD gym in a tank top and shorts taking out his internal frustrations on the worn leather. He had picked boxing back up while he and Sharon were working through their period of celibacy. The time with her doing other activities helped him mentally, but he still had an underlying need to work out the lingering arousal. So he would go a few rounds with the bag, maybe another officer if someone was up for a spar, and take a shower before heading home.

This time he had brought the boys with him. The girls were at a birthday party for a friend of theirs and Andy had volunteered to keep an eye on the boys to give Sharon a bit of time alone at the house. He had planned to take them to the aquarium again as he had done a few weeks before, but they were closed for the day for tank cleaning. So the three of them had stopped by the toy store and picked up a couple new Transformer action figures before Andy offered them the option of coming to the gym with him. The two were sitting in the corner next to the bag playing with their toys as he got his workout in. The gym was pretty sparsely populated on the weekends so he didn't feel too terrible bringing them in.

After an hour at the bag Andy was drenched in sweat and he could see that Ricky was starting to get tired. He wasn't taking naps all the time now, but still needed them on occasion. He grabs the bag from swinging and pants softly as he stands next to it looking at the boys.

"I'm going to run into the locker room and shower," Andy says as the boys look up at him, "Char, do you think you can keep an eye on Ricky for a couple minutes?"

"Sure," Charlie nods, standing and offering his hand out to his little brother. Ricky clutches his toy in one hand as he reaches up with the other to take Charlie's.

"Hey Flynn!" A voice calls out from behind Andy. Andy groans and rolls his eyes before straightening his stance and turning around, starting to loosen the wraps on his hands.

"Mendoza," Andy says, a fake smile on his face. He and Mendoza had never gotten along and some of their altercations in the bull pen had lead him to talking to his CO about his assignments, requesting to not be paired up with the officer again. Mendoza tended to run hotter than Andy, if possible, and had no appreciation for any rules. _I am the law_ , the cop used to tell him. Sharon had even investigated him a couple times, most recently the week before when they had gotten back from their trip to Hartford. She agreed with his assessment of the man's personality, but hadn't been able to suggest the officer's dismissal from the force in either occasion.

"Who do you got here?" The officer asks as he tosses a towel over his shoulder while walking over, looking behind Andy at the boys. Andy stands a little taller as the guy looks at his kids, taking advantage of the small height difference between them.

"Oh, this is Ricky, and Charlie, my kids…well two of them at least," Andy says with a smile as he looks at the boys, "Can you guys say hi to Officer Mendoza?"

"Hi," Charlie says, raising his and Ricky's joined hands in a wave.

"Hi," Ricky whispers.

"Jesus, Flynn. How many times has the frigid bitch let you fuck her?" Mendoza taunts Andy with a menacing grin, "Do you get a free pass for each kid?"

"Watch your damn mouth," Andy says, his brow furrowing as he steps towards Mendoza, blocking his view of the boys. Mendoza steps up toe to toe with Andy, looking up at him with a dark look in his eyes.

"Is she as cold inside as she is on the outside?" Mendoza whispers. Andy's fist connects with the side of his face as he punches him. Mendoza stumbles back a step, tripping on a weight behind himself before he goes down, grunting as he lands on his back.

"You wanna keep talking?" The other officers in the gym were looking over, wondering if they needed to intervene.

"You're a fucking traitor," Mendoza growls as he swipes his leg and brings Andy down. Andy groans as he lands on his side before feeling Mendoza's fist connect with his own face. He catches his hand on the next swing and reverses their positions, getting him in the face again. The two continue to fight until the other officers break in and pull them apart.

"I'm fine!" Andy yells, shaking off the person trying to hold him. He groans as he reaches up to prod at his cheek, cursing quietly and wincing as he finds a small cut. He looks over to the boys and finds Charlie terrified and Ricky near tears. His shoulders slump and he reaches out to grab his bag, slinging it over his shoulder before leaning down to pick up Ricky. He holds his hand out to Charlie and starts to walk the kids out of the gym.

"Where the fuck do you think you're going?" Mendoza yells as Andy starts walking away.

"Home," Andy says as he pushes the door open, letting Charlie through before letting it slam behind him. He walks the kids to the car and loads them in the backseat, tossing his bag onto the floor before getting into the front seat himself. He sits for a moment and drops his head back against the headrest with a groan. He was fucked when he got home, hell he was fucked right now.

"Daddy?" Charlie whispers from the backseat.

"Yeah, buddy?" Andy replies, catching his son's eyes in the rearview mirror.

"Why did you hit that officer?" Charlie asks, his blue eyes concerned.

"He was…saying some not so nice things," Andy says as he turns around in his seat, "But that's never a reason to hit anyone."

"Then why did you? And why did he say bad things? I thought cops were supposed to be nice."

"They are, there's always a couple rotten eggs in the batch though…And Dad's got a bit of a temper sometimes," Andy shakes his head with a mournful look and a sigh, "Come on, let's head home."

"I want momma," Ricky whimpers, rubbing his eyes.

"Well lucky for you little man, momma is at home," Andy tells him before mumbling under his breath, "Unlucky for me."

Andy drives the kids home in silence. He sends Charlie inside when parks the car, getting in the back seat to get Ricky out, glad the boy had fallen asleep on the way home. He locks the car and carries Ricky inside to his room. He quickly bypasses the kitchen where he could hear the radio playing and Sharon singing along, she had mentioned something about cleaning and maybe having Gavin over. He lays Ricky down in his bed and tugs his tiny shoes off before finding Charlie, asking him to take Lily outside and play for a little bit, telling him he would be out soon to join him. Sharon turns down the radio as Charlie runs through with Lily, turning to open the dishwasher and start to unload as she hears Andy come in.

"How was the aquarium?" Sharon asks as she puts dishes away.

"Uh we didn't end up going," Andy says as he lingers in the doorway, "They were closed. Tank cleaning or something…"

"Oh, what did you end up doing?" She questions as she turns around, her eyes widening when she sees the cut on his cheek and the blooming bruise beneath it, "What happened to you? Where's Ricky!"

"Ricky fell asleep on the way home and I put him in bed," Andy tells her, "I took them to the toy store and then we went to the gym at work. I was finishing up when Mendoza showed up and started running his mouth."

"So you got in a fight?" Sharon says as she reaches up to touch the cut, it would need to be cleaned but wouldn't require stitches. Andy winces and pulls back as he slaps her hand away gently.

"Ow!"

"Don't 'ow' me Andrew," Sharon says with narrow eyes, "You want to tell me what he said or am I going to have to read it from the report that will inevitably crop up."

"He's not going to say shit to you guys after last week," Andy replies with a bite to his tone, "He doesn't like you and he's never liked me. He's a shit cop that can't keep his mouth shut."

"Andrew Flynn," Sharon snaps back with a glare, "Talk. Now."

Andy recounts the situation to her from when Mendoza first walked up to him to them walking through the door. Sharon sighs and shakes her head as she steps back from him. How many times in the last few years had they had this discussion?

"I _don't_ need you to fight for my honor," Sharon says, "I really, really don't."

"What I'm just supposed to walk away when someone's talking about you like that? In front of our kids?"

"Yes!" Sharon exclaims, "That is exactly what you should do. I don't need you beating up every cop that talks crap about me. Especially in front of the kids, who knows what kind of impression something could leave on them. What I do need you to do is to keep being a good cop, set an example. If you do that it makes it a hell of a lot easier to do my job."

"I am a good cop," Andy replies before looking down at the floor, "Ricky looked scared shitless…he looked like he was going to cry."

"I know. Just stop trying to be some knight in shining armor for me," Sharon chastises with a sigh and a shake of her head, "He'll probably be fine once he wakes up. Go…play with Charlie. I'll grab the first aid kit and clean up your cheek."

"Shar…"

"Go," Sharon insists, shoving him towards the door before heading to find the first aid kit. She checks on Ricky before taking the tin out back, grabbing an ice pack on the way. She sits Andy down on the patio and cleans up his face wound before giving him the ice pack. He holds it to his face and sighs as he looks up at her.

"I'm sorry," Andy says, "I shouldn't have hit him. And I definitely shouldn't have done it in front of the kids."

"No, you shouldn't have," Sharon says, "I need you to be an example and on your best behavior, at least for a little while."

"Yeah, whatever I can do," Andy nods. Sharon sighs and runs her fingers through his hair before pressing a kiss to his forehead. He was hard headed and a trouble maker, but she loved him and he had a soft side, she just needed to physically pull it out some time.

It was this moment that wouldn't leave Sharon's mind as she sat in the emergency waiting room with blood spattered on her shirt just a few weeks later. She was three weeks away from marrying him and he was bleeding out on the other side of the double doors to the emergency room because the city was burning down around them.

* * *

[TBC]


	32. Chapter 32

**Notes:** Wow! I'm amazed by the quick responses to the last chapter. We're going to do something a little bit different and jump back a couple hours from where we left off. This is the morning of April 29th, 1992 before the riots started in LA. Let me know what you think!

* * *

"But why are we staying home with Molly today?" Emily asks as she eats her breakfast, looking up at her mother with wide brown eyes.

"Because I said you are," Sharon says as she kisses her daughter's head, "I'd prefer you were here than anywhere else."

"Why?"

"Just trust me baby," Sharon says before going to talk to Molly, "I'd like you guys to stay home today. There's plenty of food in the kitchen. I should be near my phone all day, but if not you have my pager number and the number for dispatch. Call me if _anything_ happens."

"Of course," Molly nods, "Ms. O'Dwyer…what do you think is going to happen?"

"I hope for nothing," Sharon says, "My gut tells me otherwise."

"Okay," Molly nods again.

"You can stay the night if we need you?"

"Of course."

"Thank you, Molly," Sharon smiles before going to say goodbye to the kids. She presses another kiss to Emily's head and then Ricky's, pinching his cheek softly before grabbing her things to leave. She and Andy follow each other to the station, taking spots close together before getting out. Andy stops her before she can head towards the elevator, pulling her back towards him.

"Andy…we're gonna be late," Sharon reminds him. They had left the house behind schedule even though they didn't have to drop the kids off.

"Just one more minute," Andy says as he wraps his arm around her waist after looking around. She hated when their relationship showed up in the work place, especially after the incident with Mendoza. His cheek was basically healed up, only a pink scar in it's wake that would be skin colored again in a couple more weeks, "I wanted to tell you goodbye."

"Oh?" Sharon asks, as she looks up at him. Their height difference wasn't as severe when she was in her heels, but there was a small one none the less.

"Mmhm," Andy nods and leans down to kiss her softly, only lingering on her lips for a moment before pulling back and pressing a kiss to her forehead, "Love you."

"I love you too," Sharon murmurs and strokes his cheek softly before pulling back and heading towards the elevator.

Later in the afternoon she looks out a window facing the front of the building on the fifth floor. Her eyes gaze downward as she watches the group of protesters that had begun to grow since the verdict had been announced earlier in the ady. She chances a glance at her watch before heading towards her desk to make a phone call. Picking up the phone she calls home, speaking with Molly and asking her to stay the night as she notices the phones in the room beginning to ring. Her eyes cast towards the dark office in the corner as she hangs up. The commander was out, along with the captain that was usually his second in command. They were supposed to be fine, it was only for a couple days.

"Should we call the Commander?" Michaels asks from her left. Sharon looks at him and shakes her head.

"He's in Europe, it'd be a day and a half before he got back," Sharon says as she scans her eyes around the room. They had just lost their lieutenants to other positions within the force, all they had were sergeants and detectives right now. She takes a deep breath before calling out over the room, "Alright everyone listen up!"

If Sharon was surprised that the other officers immediately gave her their attention, she didn't show it. They all knew what regard their commander held her in. And if anyone was going to be in charge right now, she was probably their best hope. She gives them a run down of how they were going to be operating until they heard otherwise. The phrase 'by the book' was used more than once, not doing it that way was what had gotten the LAPD in this mess. Once she finishes speaking Sharon dismisses the officers before picking up her own phone as it rings.

"Did you call Molly?"

"She's staying the night," Sharon says when she hears Andy's voice on the other end, "Are you on your way out?"

"Yeah, the calls are starting to pour in."

"Be careful," Sharon reminds him.

"You too," Andy says before they both hang up.

By the next afternoon practically the entire LAPD had been running for over 24 hours and Los Angeles had begun to fall apart as riots broke out across the city. Sharon had only seen Andy fleetingly for a moment in the middle of the night, but had kept in contact with Molly and the kids as the time wore on. He had just paged her that he was going out again as she was giving out assignments to the FID group, again reminding them to continue to do things by the book before grabbing her own stack of files and making her way out into the building.

It was nearing dinner time the next time her pager beeped on her hip. She had just managed to find a few minutes to make herself a Cup of Noodles, the only thing that resembled a meal in the vending machines they had throughout the building. She frowns as she looks at the sending number, not recognizing it, but panicking when she sees the 911 attached to the page. She grabs the cup from the microwave, hissing as water splashes out and burns her hand as she hurries to the nearest phone. She stabs in the number and holds the handset to her ear as it rings.

"Provenza!" The gruff voice on the other end picks up. Sharon shakes her head and sips some of the broth from the cup.

"It's O'Dwyer…Did you mean to page me?" She asks.

"Yeah, yeah I did," Provenza replies and Sharon notices the down turn in his voice, feeling her blood run cold. If he was calling her with a 911 page, then it must have been Andy that was in trouble.

"What happened?" Sharon asks as she sets the cup in her hand down, focusing all of her attention at the phone call.

"I was a couple blocks over dealing with another situation, I heard gunshots and went to investigate," Provenza tells her, "He was in the street, the car was gone."

"How bad is it?" Sharon asks, her voice losing its steel and shaking.

"One through to the shoulder, two others on his side, but they looked more like flesh wounds," Provenza recounts from what he could remember, "It hadn't been long before I found him, he hadn't lost too much blood."

"Where are they taking him?"

"USC."

"Thank you," Sharon says before hanging up and dropping her dinner into the trash. She runs up to the office to grab her purse, letting Michaels know where she was going to be before making her way down to the parking garage and to her car. She manages to make it to the hospital at the same time as the ambulance, reaching out to take Andy's hand as they unload him, "Andy!"

"Ma'am you need to step back," The EMT tells her as they get his gurney on the ground before starting to push him inside. Andy rolls his head and looks at her, his eyes half closed and his face greying. She was trying to ignore the blood gushing out of the wound on his shoulder and the two on his side.

"Sharon," Andy mumbles as his hand weakly tightens around hers, "I love y-"

"I know," Sharon says as he coughs, splattering her shirt with blood. Her hand is wrenched away from his as he's pushed behind the doors to the emergency room. She tries to follow them and is held back by a nurse.

"You can't go back there," The nurse tells her.

"Where are they taking him?" Sharon asks, tears pooling in her eyes.

"Probably surgery, are you his wife?" The nurse asks.

"Um no, not yet," Sharon shakes her head, "I'm his fiancée."

"Do you have any way to get into contact with his family?"

"Why?" Sharon asks, "I am his family."

"I can't give you any information if you're not married," The nurse says, "Family only."

"You don't understand!" Sharon yells, " _I_ am his family. His mom and sisters are out east, the only other family has here is me and the kids."

"I'm sorry," The nurse shakes her head before stepping away, "I just can't."

Sharon restrains herself from kicking the trashcan across the waiting room before making a beeline for the pay phone in the corner of the room. She plugs some change in from her purse and stabs in the number for the precinct, asking to be connected with Provenza again. She tells him that they had taken Andy back and asked if he knew who would have his medical proxy.

Vicky was the older man's best guess, figuring that Andy hadn't updated any paperwork since the two had gotten divorced. She thanks him and calls the house, talking to Molly for only a moment before hanging up and plugging in more change to call Vicky with. She talks to her fiancé's ex-wife for a few minutes, explaining the situation and asking if she could come down so someone would be available to get information on Andy. Vicky assures her that she was going to get the kids together and head down as soon as she could.

Sharon sighs and hangs up the phone before collapsing into one of the chairs in the small room. Her head drops back against the wall behind her and her eyes slip closed as she lets out a long sigh. Tears build behind her eyes as she sits, how could this be happening? They were supposed to be getting married. Why was she stupid enough to not lie to the nurse? A small sob breaks through and she lifts her hand to her mouth, trying to keep the tears at bay a little while longer.

* * *

[TBC]


	33. Chapter 33

**Notes:** WOW! You guys are responsive when I throw some drama your way ;) Thanks for all of the reviews that rolled in for the last two chapters. Thanks to **MaidenPride** this is being tied in with the Closer episode Grave Doubts in a way, obviously doctoring up what actually took place in the past a little bit. Also if you didn't notice that 32 was posted yesterday as well go back and read that before proceeding!

Let me know what you think!

* * *

Sharon whimpers softly as she steps into Andy's room. Vicky had shown up soon after she had called her and talked to the doctor, getting her some information about Andy. She had instructed the doctor that it was okay to talk to Sharon about her ex-husband's condition. From what the doctor told them Andy had been shot directly in the shoulder, and had a couple grazes on his side that were deep, but non-life threatening.

It was the shoulder they had taken him into surgery to repair. He had just gotten out a bit ago and was placed in the ICU for his initial recovery. It was well after midnight and it was the first time she was getting to see him since he'd been brought in earlier in the evening. He was pale, paler than she had ever seen before, but he was breathing and sedated from surgery. His shoulder was immobilized for the moment, they had reattached multiple ligaments in his shoulder during the surgery. Luckily the bullet had not damaged the actual bone or the artery. He wouldn't be able to grip much or have a huge range of motion at first, he would have to get that back through physical therapy.

Sharon steps further into the room and makes her way over to the bed. She trails her fingertips Andy's uninjured arm, stroking them over his face before taking his hand in hers and sitting down next to the bed. They said it was going to be a while before he woke up, but she had no intention of leaving his side. She would have to call Connie in the morning to tell her what had happened then her own parents, she would need their help canceling the wedding. Maybe she would see if Vicky could bring the kids, once he was out of the ICU.

Sharon lays her head down next to his hand, letting her eyes close and her body relax as she presses a kiss to his knuckles. The gentle beep of the heart rate monitor lulls her to sleep as she continues to hold onto Andy. She gets a few hours of sleep before she wakes up to fingers gently brushing through her hair. Her eyes open and she stretches her back as she buries her face into the sheets before snapping up as everything comes back to her. Andy offers her a weak smile as she sits up, keeping his hand in hers.

"You're up," Sharon says shifting the chair closer.

"I am," Andy manages to croak out, wincing at the strain on his dry throat. Sharon reaches out and grabs the water by his bed, giving him a small sip before setting it back down. He swallows a few times before sighing and squeezing her hand, "Thank you."

"How are you feeling?" Sharon asks, pressing a kiss to his hand. She could see the lingering drowsiness starting to be replaced by the pain from his wounds and operations. She'd told the doctors that he wouldn't take anything that was a narcotic, which left him with sedation and basic painkillers.

"Hurts," Andy mumbles, his eyes blinking heavily a couple times before he pulls his hand from hers to reach up and rub his eyes, "What happened?"

"You were shot," Sharon says after a moment. Telling him anything more would potentially be construed as tampering with his statement that he was going to have to give, "There was a shot to your shoulder and a couple grazes on your side. They had to repair some ligaments in the shoulder so you're going to be out of commission for a while, but luckily there was no bone or artery damage."

"Fuck," Andy sighs as he drops his head back, giving his hand back to Sharon, "Everything's been so crazy..."

"I know," Sharon says pressing another kiss to his hand before pressing the call button.

"Kids?"

"At home with Molly still," Sharon says, "Vicky came down to talk to the doctors. They wouldn't talk to me. I'm going to..."

"Why?" Andy's brow furrows as he interrupts her.

"Why?" Sharon repeats.

"Wouldn't they talk to you?"

"We're not married," Sharon says, shrugging it off easier than she had earlier in the day, "I'm going to call your mom later in the morning, I didn't want to wake her up. And I'm going to have my mom start cancelling stuff for the wedding."

"Hang on," Andy shakes his head, trying to shake the remaining cloudy feeling away, "Why wouldn't they talk to you?"

"We're not married," Sharon says at a slower pace, realizing he was still trying to catch up, "I'm not considered family because of that. Vicky has your power of attorney."

"That's bullshit! After everything...they get to decide you're not..."

"Andy, relax," Sharon tells him as she watches his heart rate pick up before she gets up and moves to sit the edge of her hip on the bed, "It's fine. We have it worked out. We can get the paperwork changed when you get out of here."

"Still bullshit," Andy mumbles before wincing, "Fuck my shoulder hurts."

"I know," Sharon nods, looking up as the nurse and doctor come into his room. The doctor looks him over and explains what had happened in more detail than Sharon had as the nurse takes his vitals and gets out another dose of medication for him. She waits for them to leave before leaning forward and running her fingers through his hair, gently dragging her nails across his scalp as his brow furrows in pain, "Sleep, honey..."

"Don't cancel the wedding," Andy murmurs as his eyes droop closed.

"Andy…the wedding is supposed to be in three weeks, you're not in any position to…"

"Stand still and profess my love for you?"

"Travel across the country and go on a honeymoon," Sharon finishes.

"I'll be fine," Andy says, "I'll be fine…I wanna marry you."

"I know," Sharon murmurs, stroking her fingers down his cheek as he drifts off to sleep again. She sits with him until the room starts to brighten with the rising of the sun. The doctor and nurse come back when he wakes up again, this time bringing breakfast. The nurse gives him just a dose of the pain medication, easing up on the sedative for a little bit as the doctor looks at his incision. Sharon's stomach turns as she looks at the stitches holding the wound on his shoulder together. The nurse rebandages him after the doctor finishes and stacks an ice pack on top of it before they leave him alone again.

Andy picks at the breakfast plate, his appetite low from the surgery and the drugs, only really eating a couple pieces of toast and some of the bacon. Sharon looks up as a knock sounds on the door to the room, waving in the officers hovering at the entrance. She gets up from the edge of the bed and sighs softly as she looks down at Andy.

"Officer Davidson is going to talk to you about what happened yesterday from an FID standpoint, and I'm assuming that Officer Martin is here from a Robbery/Homicide standpoint," Sharon explains before looking at the officers and watching as both of them nod. She offers them a small smile before looking back at Andy, "I am going to step outside and make some phone calls. Will you be okay?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine," Andy says as he pushes his breakfast tray away.

"I'll be just down the hall at the payphone," Sharon says, squeezing his hand before getting into her purse to grab her personal phone book and heading out of the room.

"Sharon," Andy stops her before she can leave. Sharon turns around and arches her eyebrow at him, "Don't cancel anything."

"Right," Sharon says with a small smile before heading out of the room and down the hall to where there was a pay phone. She plugs some change in and flips through the small booklet to find Connie's phone number before punching it in. The other end of the line picks up quickly and Sharon sighs as she hears Connie's voice on the other end.

"Hello?"

"Hi, it's me."

"Sharon! How are you? Are you guys okay?" Connie asks, "I saw what's happening on the news. I called the house a couple times but all I get is the babysitter."

"Yeah, Molly has been staying with the kids, keeping them out of school," Sharon says, "It's been crazy at the station…That's part of why I'm calling. Andy…he got shot yesterday."

"What?!" Connie exclaims, "I…I…Is he okay? What happened?"

"He's okay," Sharon says after swallowing over the knot in her throat, "He's okay. He was in surgery for a while, but he's awake and talking to some officers right now. Most of the damage was to his shoulder. He'll be out of work for a while, have to do some physical therapy."

"Oh my god," Connie whispers, "I…"

"He's gonna be okay," Sharon replies again, trying to get herself to believe it as well, "I can have him call you later this morning…I don't know how long he's going to be up right now. They can't really give him much for the pain without putting his sobriety at risk."

"I should come out there," Connie says, "There's usually a direct flight that leaves at noon."

"No, no, no," Sharon shakes her head, "Don't…It's a mad house right now. He's going to be in here for a couple days at least…who knows what's coming after that."

"Are you sure? What about the kids?"

"I've got them," Sharon assures her, "I can handle it."

"What about the wedding?" Connie asks, "It's only a few weeks away…"

"I don't know," Sharon shakes her head, "He doesn't want to cancel…we'll have to play it by ear. I need to call my parents still."

"Keep me updated, okay?" Connie says, "And have him call me. Even if it's only for a couple minutes. I just want to hear his voice."

"I will."

"I love you. Call me if you need anything, I _can_ come out there."

"I know, I love you too," Sharon says before hanging up the phone. She sighs and wipes her eyes with her sleeve before calling her parents. She spends a little bit of time talking to her mom, assuring her as well that they would be fine and she didn't need to make a special trip out. She puts her off about the wedding, deciding to wait until Andy was home to make a final decision.

She takes a moment to call home and talk to Molly and the kids, telling her daughter that everything was fine and they were just busy at work. It was the first time either one of them had been seriously injured since Andy had become part of their lives. She didn't want to have to explain everything over the phone and leave Molly to deal with any tears or confusion left in their wake. After sending her love to both of the kids she hangs up and makes her way back down the hall, sniffing as she wipes at her eyes again. By the time she reaches Andy's room both of the officers were leaving.

"Sergeant O'Dwyer."

"Did you get everything you needed?"

"I think so," Davidson answers as he looks at his notebook, "From what we can tell it looks like he was carjacked. No one in the area will cop to if they saw anything…Provenza's the only person corroborating that something even happened, and he was a block away when the shots went off investigating shots fired at officers earlier yesterday."

"The car was found abandoned a few blocks away," Martin steps in, "SID was able to dig some bullets out of the side panels. They're running them for hits. It's…"

"Not likely that they're going to find anything."

"Right…especially after this week," Martin gestures, "I will keep you updated if anything comes up."

"Thank you," Sharon nods, "Officer Davidson, what was the situation when you left?"

"Most of us are doubled or tripled up on cases right now," Davidson reports, "There's still more phone calls coming in and files are starting to pile up on the Commander's desk."

"Nothing gets passed off," Sharon says, "Not a single case. Bring me what's been finished and I can start going through them while I'm here. Tell Michaels to give people an hour or so to catch some shut eye on rotation. Also, make sure the group gets fed. I'll make sure someone gets reimbursed for it, just leave the receipt on my desk."

"Yes ma'am," Davidson nods before following Martin down the hallway towards the elevators. Sharon makes her way back into Andy's room, seeing him laying in bed with his eyes shut and the tv in the corner on low. He wasn't sleeping, his body was too taught for that. They would have to give him more sedative if he wanted to sleep more.

"I talked to your mom," She says as she takes a seat back on the edge of the bed. His eyes open and he looks up at her with dull brown eyes surrounded by a bloodshot redness, "She's worried about you, but I told her to stay home and that you would call her when you were able."

"Thanks," Andy mumbles.

"You ready to go back to sleep?"

"Yeah," He nods reaching out to press the call button himself.

"It'll get better, honey," Sharon reassures him as she squeezes his hand, pressing a kiss to his knuckles.

* * *

[TBC]


	34. Chapter 34

By later in the day Andy had been moved into a regular room out of the ICU and the National Guard was descending on the city. After his small nap in the morning Sharon had prompted him to call his mother before he was moved. The two only talked for a few minutes, the conversation mostly consisting of Andy assuring her that he was going to be okay.

Once he finished his phone call they moved him to the new room and brought in a lunch tray. Andy only ate a little bit, much as he had with breakfast, but pushed the rest of the food towards Sharon as she sat next to his bed reviewing reports that had been dropped off. She waved the offer off as she closed the file in her lap when a set of nurses and orderlies came in to move Andy. Following the group down to the next floor to her fiancé's new room, Sharon sets the folders down on one of the empty chairs and watches as they hook him back up to all of the monitors. His eyes droop a bit after they leave, dealing with the pain enough to make him tired, and he yawns, wincing as the deep inhale jostles his shoulder.

"I'm going to go get the kids," Sharon offers, "While you get some more rest. Okay?"

"Yeah," Andy nods, "Make sure you take Molly home...I don't want her walking."

"I will," Sharon says, offering a soft squeeze to his ankle before stepping forward and leaning down to press a kiss to his lips, "I love you."

"I love you too," Andy murmurs giving her a small but tired smile. Sharon takes an extra moment to stroke his cheek, pressing a kiss to his forehead before gathering her purse to leave. She makes her way down to the emergency room parking lot she'd parked in the day before, sinking into the driver's seat. She drops her head to the steering wheel and takes a few shuddering breaths before feeling the last ounce of control she had snap and a sob tear its way out of her throat.

Sharon's shoulders shake as she cries, all of the emotions of the last 24 hours making their escape during the first quiet moment. She spends a few minutes in tears before gathering herself together enough to start the car and drive home. Taking a moment in the driveway, Sharon cleans up her face and sighs before grabbing her bag and getting out of the car. She glances down at the blood spattered shirt she was still wearing, buttoning her blazer up before heading inside.

"Mommy!" Emily exclaims and runs over to greet her, throwing her arms around her mother's waist and hugging her close.

"Hi baby," Sharon says as she drops her bag to the ground before picking Emily up and holding her close as she buries her face into the little girl's long brown hair, "Oh I missed you."

"I missed you too," Emily says, hugging her close for a couple more moments before pulling back and frowning as she notices Sharon's red eyes, "What's wrong? Where's Daddy?"

"Daddy is at the hospital," Sharon says as she carries the little girl further into the house, "He got hurt last night. He's going to be okay, but he has to stay at the hospital for a few days."

"Daddy got hurt?" Emily pouts, her brown eyes already filling with tears.

"He did. Daddy's job can be dangerous sometimes," Sharon says. "But you do the same job," Emily reasons.

"We do, but Daddy spends a lot more time working to keep the bad guys off the street."

"What do you do?" Emily asks.

"I make sure that the cops are always going to be the good guys," Sharon says, smoothing Emily's hair back from her face and pressing a kiss to her forehead, "Why don't you let me take a shower and then we can take Molly home and I'll take you guys to go see Daddy. Okay?"

"You don't have to do that," Molly says as she sets Ricky down on the floor, letting him toddle over to Sharon.

"I insist. It's still…it's not great downtown, I don't want you walking. Besides it's on the way to the hospital," Sharon says, setting Emily down and lifting Ricky up to kiss his cheek, "Hi my beautiful boy…"

"Miss you mama," Ricky says, kissing Sharon back. She smiles and strokes his hair away from his face, studying his features for a moment. He took so much after Andy it made her heart ache.

"I missed you too honey, very much," Sharon says before pressing another kiss to his cheek. She sets him down and ruffles his hair before looking at Molly, "I am going to take a shower and get changed and get some stuff together for Andy. And then we'll go."

"Sure," Molly nods with a small smile, "I'm glad that he's doing okay."

"Thank you," Sharon says before heading down the hallway. She tosses her blazer into the hamper before taking her shirt off and throwing it in the trash. Stepping into the bathroom, she turns the shower on, letting the water heat up as she finishes undressing. She takes a quick shower before drying off and getting dressed in a pair of jeans and one of Andy's button up shirts. She buries her nose into the collar before twisting her hair into a clip and busying herself with packing a bag for Andy. Once she fills his duffel she carries it down the hall to set it in front of the front door, "Em, Ricky, let's get your shoes on."

"Okay," Emily says, running over to the door to grab her shoes. She pulls them onto her tiny feet before helping Ricky get his on, doing the velcro for him, "Ready!"

"Good job," Sharon smiles, "Let's put Lily away, and then we can go see Daddy."

"Dada!" Ricky exclaims. He walks over to the kennel and opens the door, yelling out for Lily. The dog trots her way in, getting in the kennel as Ricky holds the door open for her. Sharon shuts the door and helps him do the lock as Molly walks Emily out to the car. Both of the kids climb into the back seat as Molly gets into the passenger side, putting her bag at her feet.

Sharon drives Molly home, steering clear of the areas she knew that riots had broken out in. She drops the girl off at the front door and hands her a check with a smile.

"There's a little extra in there, for helping us out."

"You don't have to."

"I want to," Sharon says, "I'm glad that we can trust you to keep an eye on the kids when…when things happen."

"Of course," Molly nods, "I love spending time with them."

"I'm glad. Stay safe," Sharon says, waiting until Molly is safely inside before pulling away and driving back to the hospital. She parks the car in the parking garage this time, managing to find a space close to the skywalk. Emily opens the back door and climbs out, letting her brother out as well before she closes the door with both hands. Sharon grabs the bag she had packed before taking both of their hands and walking them inside, "Are you guys hungry? How about we grab some dinner?"

"Yeah," Emily nods. Sharon walks them to the cafeteria, getting a couple meals to go before they resume their trip to Andy's room.

"You guys have to be quiet okay? There are a lot of sick people around here. And you have to be gentle with Daddy, you might not be able to hug him right away okay?"

"He's gonna get better right?" Emily asks as they walk.

"Yeah he is," Sharon assures her, "He's just got a big big owie right now that needs to heal."

"Okay."

"Dada got an owie?" Ricky asks with a furrowed brow.

"He does."

"Aw…that sad," Ricky proclaims before they walk into Andy's room.

"There's three of my favorite people," Andy murmurs from the bed with a strained smile on his face. Sharon smiles back at him and sets their food down on the tray straddling his bed.

"Daddy, Mommy said you got hurt," Emily says as she walks closer to the bed.

"I did, but I'm gonna be okay."

"Good," Emily says. Andy smiles and jerks his head to the side.

"Come over here," He directs her. Emily moves around to the other side of the bed and Andy pats the small open space next to him, "Climb on up."

"Andy…" Sharon reprimands.

"I'll be fine," Andy says, patting the bed again. Emily climbs up and settles into the space next to him. He wraps his arm around her and presses a kiss to her head, squeezing her closer for a brief moment. Ricky lingers at the side of the bed, looking at Andy with wide eyes.

"Dada, you gossan owie," Ricky mumbles.

"I'll be okay, little man," Andy says. Sharon picks Ricky up before sitting in the chair next to the bed, resting him in her lap.

"Vicky was going to wait a day or so before bringing Nic and Charlie over," Sharon tells him.

"Okay."

"How are you doing?"

"Still hurts," Andy says, unwrapping his arm from Emily to pull the tray closer. Sharon grabs the top box and gives it to Emily before opening the other one and starting to feed Ricky from it, occasionally taking a bite herself. Between the episode in the car and the shower the knot in her stomach had finally dissipated enough for her to feel like eating. She finishes part of the meal before leaving Ricky to finish the rest, resting her cheek against the top of his head. She squeezes him a little closer for a moment before looking across at Andy. Andy thanks Emily as she stuffs a fry in his mouth before catching Sharon's eye. He winks softly at her before looking down as the girl holds up another piece of food for him.

It was Tuesday before Andy was released to come home, arm in a sling and a couple of prescriptions heavier. Later in the evening Sharon tucks the kids into bed before moving through the kitchen on her way back to the living room where Andy was dropping into the recliner in the corner of the living room. She sits on the arm of the chair and takes the melted ice pack from him before giving him another one, a soft but worried smile on her lips.

"You sleeping out here?"

"Yeah," Andy nods, wrapping the pack around his shoulder with a sigh, "I lay down all the way I try to roll over...and I don't want to keep you up."

"Don't you worry about keeping me up," Sharon says, lifting his hand to her lips and pressing a kiss to his knuckles.

"I do worry about keeping you up...You've barely slept a wink since I got shot."

"I'm fine," Sharon waves him off.

"I still feel bad," Andy sighs as he looks up at her. Sharon shakes her head and leans down kissing him softly.

"I never sleep well without you in bed with me," She admits, "Guess I've gotten used to you."

"I hope so," Andy smiles, "Or we should rethink this getting married thing."

"Mmm," Sharon hums, "Speaking of getting married..."

"You're not cancelling the wedding," Andy says, narrowing his eyes slightly.

"Honey, you are in no condition..."

"I'll be fine," Andy says, tugging on her hand and pulling her into his lap. He winces slightly and sighs as he looks up at her, "We already have everything planned and paid for. I can survive a five hour flight to Hartford and a six hour flight to Europe. So we may not do as much walking as we planned on our honeymoon, but we can still have a good time...I don't want to wait any more. Besides I need something to look forward to considering that no one knows who the hell did this to me."

"Okay, okay, okay," Sharon sighs, "We'll still do everything as planned."

"Good," Andy smiles.

* * *

[TBC]


	35. Chapter 35

**Notes:** Thanks for the reviews from the last chapter, we'll cycle back to the case later on in the story. But for now a bit of fluff before the wedding. Let me know what you think!

* * *

"Good," Andy smiles.

"I can handle taking the kids to get haircuts," Andy says as he pulls his jeans up with his uninjured hand, before using both hands to zip up and stuffing his arm back into the sling he was wearing almost all day, "Provenza and I are going to grab the suits, we can take them with and take care of it while we're out. You've been running yourself ragged with them lately. Let me help out."

"I don't want you to over exert yourself," Sharon says, "You just started physical therapy this week..."

"I can handle putting the kids in the car and sitting in the hair salon while they get a trim. You're taking care of everything else for the wedding," Andy argues, "I'm not an invalid, Shar."

"I know, I'm not saying you are..."

"So, I'm taking the kids to go get haircuts," Andy says, towering over her with a teasing grin on his face. His shoulder still hurt like a bitch, but he was learning to deal with the pain.

"Okay, fine. I need to finish packing for them anyway," Sharon sighs, her hand flipping in a gesture before she leans up and kisses Andy, "They have an appointment at 3 at Ada's on Sunset, both of the kids have been there before so they won't freak out."

"Can do," Andy smiles and winks. He makes his way out of the bedroom towards the front door as he hears the doorbell ring. He opens the door to his friend as he yells out to the kids, "Em, Ricky, You're coming with me and Provenza!"

"Yes!" Ricky yells as he runs to the door, grabbing his sandals and pulling them on, "Hi Unca P!"

"Again with the uncle stuff," Provenza shakes his head as he looks down at the little boy.

"Das yo name," Ricky says firmly as he stands up yelling for his sister, "Mimi hurry up!"

"What's with all the yelling?" Sharon says as she walks down the hallway, offering a smile to Provenza.

"They must get that from you," Andy says with a smile.

"Hmm...must."

"I doubt you've heard her yell recently enough," Provenza comments, grunting as Andy elbows him. Emily comes down the hall with her shoes already on, her hair swinging in a ponytail.

"I'm coming with you?"

"Mmhm, we have to go pick up suits and then we are taking you and your brother for haircuts."

"Okay!" Emily smiles, darting out the door past Provenza towards his car. Ricky follows her, climbing into the back seat as she leaves the door open. Andy rolls his eyes before leaning down and kissing Sharon.

"We'll be back."

"Be safe," She says with a pointed look at both of them before waving them off. She watches them pull away before closing the door and heading back down to the bedrooms to finish packing. The afternoon easily gets away from her as she packs bags for the kids to stay with her parents whilst also packing for her and Andy to go on vacation.

Ricky and Emily were going to stay with her parents for the week they were gone on their honeymoon. She and Andy had settled on spending a week in Ireland instead of opting for a traditional beach vacation, planning on spending a few days in Dublin and a few days in Cork before returning home to pick up the kids and make their way back to LA. Sharon was skeptical of his ability to make the trip across the ocean, but he was insistent that he would be fine since it was only a little longer than the trip to Hartford from LA.

Sharon carries the suitcases down the hall and puts them by the door. They were leaving early in the morning to head to Connecticut and then getting married on Saturday, leaving for their honeymoon on Sunday morning. Vicky was flying out with Nicole and Charlie so they could be part of the big day before taking them down to New Jersey for her usual vacation to visit her family. It had all come together relatively well, except for the whole Andy getting shot part. She was hoping they could get through the weekend without too much fuss and then embark on a well deserved vacation.

"We're home!" Andy calls out as he opens the door to the house, letting the kids in before following them in himself. Ricky runs into the kitchen to find Sharon, crashing into the back of her legs.

"Mama look!" Ricky says, moving around to her front as she tries not to trip over him, "Cut hairs like Dada."

"You did get your hair cut like Daddy," Sharon smiles and runs her fingers through the shorter locks. She was partial to letting it grow out to be a little longer between cuts, loving the fluffy curls that started to take shape once it got shaggy, "You look very handsome."

"Fank you!" Ricky grins, reaching up to touch his hair again.

"We picked up dinner on the way home," Andy says as he sets a bag onto the kitchen counter, "Figured we wouldn't want to cook tonight."

"Thank you," Sharon replies as she turns around, her attention immediately locking onto Emily instead. When they had left earlier in the afternoon the girl's long curly brown hair had been in a pony tail that hit her in the mid back. Now her curls had been lopped off and her hair was brushing just below her shoulders, "What did you do?!"

"What?" Andy arches his eyebrow at Sharon's distressed tone, talking around the piece of food in his mouth.

"Where did her hair go!?" Sharon exclaims. Andy turns to look at his daughter and tilts his head before looking back at Sharon.

"It's still on top of her head. What's the problem?"

"The problem is that it's almost eleven inches shorter then when she left the house," Sharon says as she turns Emily around running her fingers through the shorter locks, sighing as she looks at the length, "She was just supposed to get the ends trimmed."

"I said I wanted it to look like Nikki's," Emily says as she tries to turn around to look at her mother. Sharon sighs and shakes her head, Nicole had just gotten her hair cut for the summer a couple weeks before, lopping a couple inches off to bring it into a long bob. Emily had been envious of the cut, but Sharon had reminded her of things she wouldn't be able to do with her hair if she made the drastic change.

"Didn't you go back with them?" She asks Andy as she continues to look at her daughters hair, a thickness to her voice. Emily hadn't had a major haircut since she was born and didn't even go in for her first trim until well past the age of 1. She'd even managed to escape any disastrous self haircut inflictions while Emily was a toddler.

"The stylist came out and got them," Andy says, trying to figure out what the issue was with Emily's haircut.

"Don't you like it, Momma?" Emily asks as she tips her head back.

"You look beautiful as always," Sharon says, giving her daughter a more strategic answer before pressing a kiss to her forehead, "Why don't you take your brother and go wash up for dinner?"

"Okay," Emily smiles before grabbing Ricky's hand and pulling him down the hall to the bathroom. Sharon sighs and shakes her head, swiping a hand under her eyes before starting to set the table.

"Shar, I don't get what's wrong," Andy says as he stands next to the counter.

"I haven't cut her hair since she was born," Sharon says, "She's gotten trims here and there. Nothing more than half an inch..."

"I..."

"It was her first haircut basically," Sharon interrupts as she drops down into one of the kitchen chairs, "I used to run my fingers through her hair when she was sick. I remember the first time I could put it into a braid. I do it every morning, wrap it into a bun for her ballet recitals, curl it for her step recitals...and you let them cut it all off!"

"I didn't let them do anything! She did Ricky's cut and then came out and got Emily. She didn't ask me what to do to it," Andy exclaims, going on the defensive as her voice raises from morose to upset, "It's hair, it'll grow back. Emily likes it. Isn't that what matters?"

"I missed it though," Sharon murmurs, her face dropping again, "I've been there for all of their firsts...Sure I might have missed a few tuck ins, and picked them up late from daycare a couple times, but I was there for the firsts..."

"Honey..." Andy says as he sits down in the chair next to her. He should probably be concerned it was taking the kids so long to wash up, but he'd rather clean up a soapy mess then leave for their wedding with Sharon mad at him.

"I don't like missing out on those moments. I didn't get to see her face when they cut off the first chunk, or keep any of it for her baby book."

"Ricky said his first word two weeks before you heard it," Andy tells her, "For some reason he would start babbling away the second you were gone."

"He did?" Sharon says as she looks over at Andy.

"Mmhm," He nods, "And I missed almost all of Emily's firsts...and a decent amount of Ricky's even though I've been around. I'm sorry, I didn't know that she was going to ask the stylist to do that."

"I miss my baby's curls," Sharon whispers as she drops her head to Andy's good shoulder, wrapping her arms around his bicep, "She's getting too old."

"Yeah they have a tendency to do that," Andy says as he presses a kiss to her forehead.

"Sorry, I freaked out."

"It's okay," Andy says. Sharon lets his arm go before getting out of her chair to go check on the kids. She brings them back a few moments later, telling them to take a seat before starting to unpack the food that had been brought home.

Later in the evening after managing to wrangle the two excited kids into bed Sharon makes her way out to the living room where Andy was picking up the little mess they had managed to make. She presses a soft kiss to his cheek before walking over to the tv and squatting down to look through their movies. Andy carries the dishes into the kitchen and washes them by hand before putting them in the dryer. He bags up the trash and takes it out to the can in the garage before coming back in.

"Come sit with me," Sharon calls from the living room. Andy steps in and finds her sitting on the couch with her legs beneath a blanket, hugging a pillow. The remote to the VCR was in her hand and the image on the tv was paused. He rounds the couch and sinks down next to her, wrapping his arm around her shoulder.

"What are we watching?"

"We are watching Emily," Sharon says as she hits play. Andy watches as the picture on the screen begins to move, the blurry video focusing in on a newborn Emily's face. Sharon knew the cadence of the video like the back of her hand; first day, first smile, rolling over, crawling, first tooth, first words, first steps. All of Emily's firsts and milestones until she was two, "When she was about three I took some videos to a studio and had them cut some clips together so I didn't have to keep a bunch of video tapes. Sometimes I forget that you didn't really start to get to know her until she was already past all this."

A quiet thanks is all that Andy murmurs as he hugs her closer as he begins to watch the video with rapt attention.

* * *

[TBC]


	36. Chapter 36

**Notes:** Ladies and germs - it's been 24 chapters since these two got engaged. Annnnd it's going to be one more before they actually get hitched :evil-grin:

Another thanks to **MaidenPride** for the pizza idea, I thought it would make some good prewedding reminiscing otherwise it was going to be a while before I stuffed it in.

Let me know what you think!

* * *

Sharon sighs softly as she looks out the window towards the back yard at her parents house. People were already bustling around the yard, putting the finishing touches on for the ceremony later that day. There were only a couple rows of chairs set out in front of an ivy covered arbor that her parents had surprised her with, their guest list not topping more than 20 people total. Andy was downstairs getting ready while she was being sequestered in her room. The kids were running back and forth as the morning drug on, their excitement already building up.

She turns around as she hears the door again, finding Emily bounding in with a wide smile on her face and a box in her hands.

"What do you have there?"

"Daddy wanted me to give it to you," Emily holds the box up. Sharon takes it from her and turns it over in her hands with a smile and a shake of her head before setting it down on the vanity.

"Come on, let's get you in the bath and cleaned up."

"Aren't you going to open it?"

"I will in a bit," Sharon says, directing her daughter to the bathroom. She turns the water on and checks the temperature before beginning to fill the bath. Emily undresses from her pajamas and climbs into the warm water as her mother pours a cap full of bubble bath in, "Has your dad put your brother in the bath yet?"

"No," Emily giggles. Sharon laughs and shakes her head before turning the water off. The little girl slips under the water to wet her hair before emerging again. Sharon grabs the shampoo and starts to wash Emily down. Her daughter could probably handle taking her own baths now, but she enjoyed the couple extra minutes it gave them together.

"I was thinking we could curl your hair, and I got you a new headband that goes with your dress that you can wear."

"Can I put makeups on?" Emily asks with a smile.

"Sure, we can put a little something on," Sharon nods and smiles back at her before grabbing a cup to rinse out her hair.

"When are you and Daddy having another baby?" Emily asks, her brown eyes looking up at Sharon curiously and her question giving her mother pause.

"What?" Sharon replies after a moment, finishing rinsing out the short brown locks. She did have to admit it was easier to wash.

"When are you having another baby?" Emily asks again, straightening up, "You're getting married today."

"We are, but what does that have to do with having another baby?"

"That's why you get married. To have babies," Emily explains, "That's what Sister Francis told us."

"I see," Sharon sighs. Sometimes she questioned sending the kids to a Catholic school, "Well. That's not the only reason you get married, and your dad and I aren't having anymore babies. The four of you are quite enough for us."

"But I want a baby sister," Emily frowns and winces as her mother's fingers catch on a couple knots in her hair while she works conditioner through the locks, "I told you that and I got a Ricky instead."

"You have Nicole," Sharon reminds her, "And you love your brother."

"Nicole's older than me," Emily reminds her mother, "I want to be older than someone."

"You are," Sharon says without missing a beat, "You're older than Charlie and Ricky."

"But they're _boys_ ," Emily wrinkles her nose. Sharon shakes her head with a smile as she rinses the conditioner out. She gives Emily the washcloth to wash up with as she continues to sit on the edge of the tub.

"Well they're what you've got," Sharon says.

"Why else do you get married?" Emily asks as she rubs the washcloth over her skin, bubbles left in it's wake.

"You get married because you love each other," Sharon explains, a softer tone to her voice, "Because you want to spend the rest of your lives together. Because you can't imagine another day without them."

"Like you love me?"

"Not exactly…it's a different kind of love," Sharon says as she hands Emily the cup to rinse off.

"Like how?"

"Liiiiike," Sharon draws out the word as she thinks, casting her eyes downward for a moment before looking back up, "Like giving up your pizza crusts to them when you want to eat them, because you know they like them."

"Pizza crusts?"

"Yeah," Sharon nods with a smile, getting lost in a memory.

 _Sharon looks around the small pizza joint that Andy had brought her to. After their long date at the Italian restaurant she had picked an afternoon at an art gallery and lunch at a seafood place. So he had countered with pizza on the boardwalk with the promise of games and dessert afterward. She'd seen the look of surprise cross his face as she agreed to ordering spicy sausage, onions, and olives. The more time they spent together she realized they complimented each other well. Her eyes drag away from the decor as he flops into the booth across from her, setting a soda down in front of her as he keeps his own._

 _"So what made you pick this place?"_

 _"Good pizza," Andy smiles, "And the games are fun. Ice cream is pretty good too…"_

 _"Let me guess," Sharon says as she leans forward, her fingers playing with the straw in her drink, "You used to take your high school girlfriends down to Coney Island…some pizza, win a couple games, maybe an ice cream cone…necking on the beach?"_

 _"Among other things," Andy laughs as a blush colors his cheeks and the tips of his ears, "Necking is optional of course. But I definitely plan on winning some games, and getting an ice cream cone."_

 _"What about just sitting by the ocean?" Sharon suggests, maybe under a blanket._

 _"I can do that," Andy winks. Sharon smiles back and takes a sip of her soda before their pizza is brought over. The two of them continue to talk as they eat, Andy's dark brown eyes studying her habits as they do. He watches as she picks all of the toppings off and eats them before chowing down on the slice, each time stopping at the roll of crust at the end. She takes the care to clean off all of the bits of sauce before setting it down on her plate and grabbing another slice. After they finish half the pizza and pause for a moment, Andy eyeballs the leftover crusts on her plate as she takes a drink of her soda, "Are you going to eat those?"_

 _"Hmm?" Sharon arches her eyebrow before looking down at her plate._

 _"Your crusts."_

 _"Oh…" Sharon stares at them for a moment before shaking her head and pushing the plate towards him. She had a rhythm; toppings, pizza, and at the end of it all, crusts, "Help yourself."_

 _"You sure?" Andy asks as he reaches out for the plate. Sharon nods with a smile, she'd give up crusts for him._

"Mommaaaaaaa," Emily drones. Sharon snaps out of her reverie and looks down at her daughter with a warm smile.

"Sorry."

"Can I get out? I'm starting to wrinkle."

"Of course," Sharon laughs and gets up, grabbing a towel for Emily before lifting her up and out. She wraps the towel around her before going to pull the plug so the water can drain. Emily wanders into the bedroom as she dries off, leaving a small trail of water droplets behind her. She tosses the towel on the bed after she finishes and digs around in her bag before pulling on a pair of underwear and a tank top.

Sharon brings the hairdryer and curling iron in from the bathroom, setting them both on the vanity and plugging them in. She leaves the iron to warm as she beckons Emily over and begins to dry her hair. Once her hair is dry she turns the dryer off and picks up the iron to start curling the girl's hair. After she finishes she takes the time to spray Emily's dark brown hair with hairspray before getting out the headband she'd picked up for her. She easily slips it into Emily's hair and pins it down with a couple extra bobby pins before smiling at Emily in the mirror.

"I like it," Emily smiles and reaches up to touch the fluffy silk flower on the headband.

"Good," Sharon says and presses a kiss to her head, "Let me do my hair real quick and then we can do makeup."

"Okay," Emily climbs down from the seat, letting Sharon take it as she goes to look out the window, taking another survey of what was going on in the back yard, "They put the picnic tables up. There's big bouquets on them…giant pink fluffy flowers….oh wait, they're purple, like my headband."

"Peonies," Sharon provides, "That's what they're called."

"Oh…they're pretty," Emily comments again. Sharon curls her hair into large loose curls before pulling it away from her face. She clips it back with bobby pins before slipping in a flower that matched the one on Emily's headband.

"There, what do you think?"

"Beautiful!" Emily grins. Sharon grins back at her and winks before waving her over. She does her make up and puts a little on Emily before getting up to get dressed. She dresses Emily in the cream colored flower girl dress she had picked out before tying the violet sash around her waist into a bow at her back. Emily twirls in the mirror as Sharon gets dressed, pulling on a bustier and matching underwear before stepping into her dress.

"Em, can you help me zip please?" Sharon asks as she turns her back to Emily and squats down a little bit. Emily runs over and pulls the zipper of the dress up for her mother, fastening the button at the top of it. Sharon straightens up and turns around, smiling at Emily, "How do I look?"

"Pretty," Emily says definitively, after giving her mother a once over, "Daddy's gonna like it."

"Good," Sharon smiles before grabbing the box that she had set down earlier, "Should we see what he sent up?"

"Mmhm," Emily nods enthusiastically. Sharon sits down on the chair next to the vanity and slips her fingers under one of the taped corners. It was just jagged enough of a wrap that she could tell that Andy had wrapped it himself, probably taking a lot of care to get it to look as perfect as he could. Undoing the paper, she finds a jewelry box as it's contents. Emily leans her chin against Sharon's shoulder and watches as she opens the box, finding a small note inside.

" _Let me be your something blue_ ," Sharon reads out loud before looking at the contents of the box. Inside against the velvet sat a pair of earrings. They were silver drop French hooks, each one decorated with a peridot at the end of the chain with a smaller alexandrite stone nestled above them. The stone cast a blue hue in the sunlight streaming through the curtains and balanced perfectly with the green of the peridot. She knew that they would turn more red in other lights but would perfectly compliment the other stone still, just like Ricky and Emily complimented each other.

"Ooh, pretty," Emily says.

"They are very pretty," Sharon agrees, "Do you know what the colors are?"

"No."

"The green one is your birthstone. The blue one is your brother's."

"What's a birthstone?" Emily asks.

"Each month has a special stone associated with it. So whatever month you're born in, that's your birthstone," Sharon explains, "Yours is peridot, Nicole's is sapphire, Charlie's is emerald, and Ricky's is alexandrite."

"What's yours?"

"Amethyst," Sharon says, "It's purple."

"Oooh, like that necklace you have?"

"Exactly," Sharon smiles. She sets the box down and pulls the earrings out, hooking them into her ears before taking a look at them in the mirror, "They're perfect."

"Just like you," Emily grins. Sharon leans over and presses a kiss to her cheek with a smile, winking at her.

* * *

[TBC]


	37. Chapter 37

**Notes:** The wedding you've all been waiting for! Enjoy ;)

* * *

Andy sighs as he stands in front of the arbor in the back yard. He was dressed in a light khaki suit with a white shirt and a purple tie that matched the sashes on the girl's dresses and the silk flowers that Sharon had picked for their hair. The guests had been seated and the ceremony was starting soon. He had taken off his sling for the day, not wanting to ruin any pictures they had with reminders of his injury.

"I don't get why you're so worried. You've done everything else, what does today matter?" Provenza mumbles from his spot behind Andy.

"Remind me again why I invited you?" Andy retorts, arching his eyebrow at his best friend. He was surprised that he accepted the invitation out to Hartford for the wedding to stand up with him as he married the woman he considered his arch nemesis.

"Seriously. You have the kids, the house, the dog…today is formality."

"It still means a lot," Andy shrugs, "She didn't have to agree to it."

"She didn't have to do a lot of things," Provenza arches his eyebrow with a knowing look. The two of them turn their attention to the rest of the group as music starts to play. Andy smiles as he watches the kids walk down the aisle. Emily and Nicole were dressed in matching dresses and tossing flower petals onto the carpet that had been rolled out while Ricky and Charlie followed up the rear in khaki pants and purple button downs, carrying small pillows in their hands. Ricky's pillow was holding Andy's ring while Charlie's was holding Sharon's.

"Hi Daddy," Emily grins as they make their way to the front.

"Hi Monkey," Andy smiles at her as the girls and boys split up, Charlie and Nicole standing with him and Provenza while Emily and Ricky stand with Gavin on Sharon's side. Andy winks at Nicole and ruffles Charlie's hair before looking up as the music changes. His eyes widen and he swallows hard as his eyes lock with Sharon's as her father walks her down the aisle. He could see the earrings he'd gotten her sparkling in the light with her hair pulled back from her face.

The dress was a dream the way it fit her form, demure but showing off her legs and her slim waist. She was carrying a small bouquet of the violet peonies that matched the flowers that were decorating the area and the boutonniere Andy had in his lapel. He watched as a wide smile spread across her lips the closer she got to him. Once she makes it to the front Bill lets her go, pressing a soft kiss to her cheek before giving her hand to Andy.

"Take care of her," Bill warns. Sharon rolls her eyes with a small smile still painted on her lips.

"Of course," Andy smiles at him before winking at Sharon. Sharon thanks her father before she squeezes Andy's hand and turning her attention to the priest. They had requested the services of the O'Dwyer family's local priest for the wedding and the older man was happy to make the trip out to the house to perform the ceremony.

Sharon catches Andy's eyes as they listen to other people talk. They had talked Father McCarthy into trimming down the ceremony as much as possible, but were unable to get him to acquiesce to their total request. That meant sitting through some extra prayers and readings, but as long as they ended up married at the end, they were willing to put up with it. She smiles softly at him, her eyes already starting to water. She never expected to get through the ceremony without a couple tears, but was surprised to feel them well up before either of them had spoken a word.

" _Breathe_ ," Andy mouths at her with a soft look. Sharon shakes her head with a smile and takes a deep breath, squeezing his hand. She takes another breath and looks up when the priest refers to them, turning slightly to hand her bouquet to Gavin. She takes both of Andy's hands in hers and offers him a wider smile as they face each other.

"Andrew, do you take Sharon to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?" The priest asks as he looks at Andy. The corner of Andy's mouth quirks up in a smirk as he looks at Sharon. He lifts her hands to his lips, pressing a soft kiss to the back of each one. He gently inhales her scent, her perfume wafting up from where she had dabbed it on her wrists.

"I definitely do…" Andy murmurs as he lowers their hands. Sharon offers him a watery smile, reaching up with their joined hands to swipe at a tear rolling down her cheek.

"Sharon, do you take Andrew to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?" Father McCarthy repeats, turning his attention to Sharon. Her head bobs in a frantic nod as she lets out a choked laugh.

"Yes, God, yes…" She manages to croak out before more tears fall down her face. Andy reaches up and brushes them away, his own eyes starting to get a little more misty themselves.

"Rings?" Father McCarthy prompts. Andy nods and turns around, untying the bow on the pillow that Charlie was holding. He pulls off Sharon's ring turning it over once before handing it over. Sharon does the same, taking Andy's from Ricky. She gives the small boy a wink before she turns back around, handing it to the priest. He lays out both rings on the Bible in his hands, smiling at the couple, "The circle is the symbol of the sun, earth, and universe. It is the symbol of peace. Let this ring be the symbol of unity and peace in which your two lives are joined in one unbroken circle. Wherever you go, return unto one another and to your togetherness…Andrew, will you take Sharon's ring and place it on her finger while repeating after me?"

"I would be honored," Andy grins. He takes Sharon's wedding band from Father McCarthy before holding Sharon's hand up closer. He removes her engagement ring and hooks it on his pinky before starting to push her band on.

"Sharon, receive this ring…" Father McCarthy starts.

"Sharon, receive this ring…"

"As a sign of my love and fidelity."

"As a sign of my love and fidelity."

"In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit."

"In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit," Andy finishes. He unhooks her engagement ring from his pinky and places it back onto her finger above her wedding band before pressing a soft kiss to it. Sharon flips her fingers over and strokes his cheek softly with a smile. She takes his ring from the priest before repeating the same words in a soft voice. She presses it over his knuckle and presses a kiss to his hand after it slips into place.

"I love you," She whispers. After a few more choice words Father McCarthy pronounces them man and wife.

"You may kiss the bride," He tells Andy. Andy smiles and curls his arm around her waist, pulling her closer. For a moment they stare into each others eyes, the tips of their noses touching the other's.

"You are…my angel," Andy murmurs as he looks at her, studying the depths of her hazel eyes for a moment before closing the rest of the distance between them and kissing her. Sharon's arms snake around his neck and she pulls herself closer, deepening the kiss beyond a chaste touching of lips. They pull apart a couple moments later as Father McCarthy clears his throat.

"Sorry," Sharon says as her ears color with a blush. Andy laughs and winks at her, reaching up to brush the remaining tears off her face.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr and Mrs. Andrew Flynn," Father McCarthy introduces the couple as everyone stands to clap. Sharon laughs and smiles up at Andy as he curls his arm around her waist.

"Mrs. Flynn…I like the sound of that."

"I'm sure you do," Sharon grins and leans up to kiss him again, "Mr. Flynn."

The two spend a few moments talking to their guests and family members before taking a few pictures. They manage to get a couple with all four of the kids and even Andy's entire family before the caterers start setting dinner out. They had hired a local restaurant to cater a family style meal, the small group of guests taking their spots at a row of picnic tables that were set up on the lawn. Sharon leans into Andy's side and kisses him on the cheek as the dishes get passed around.

"You're stuck with me."

"There are worse things," Andy smiles and looks over at her, "Not a half bad day huh?"

"Not half bad at all," Sharon agrees, pressing her lips to Andy's cheek again as she rests her head on his shoulder. They had been going all day getting ready for the wedding and a bit of exhaustion was starting to creep up on her now that they were sat down, "Emily asked me a question earlier while we were getting ready."

"I don't dare to guess what she asked," Andy says with a laugh. Emily was an extremely inquisitive child, and sometimes her questions seemed to come out at random times with random topics.

"She asked when we were going to have another baby," Sharon says, "According to Sister Francis that's why you get married. She still wants that baby sister she thinks she was denied when Ricky was born. But I simply explained to her that wasn't going to happen and that you get married for other reasons than having babies, no matter what the Church would like her to think."

"She gets that from you, you know? The questions."

"I know," Sharon smiles and looks down the table at her daughter where she was excitedly telling a story to Andy's mom, "I like it."

"Can you believe we'll have a whole week without any of them?" Andy says as he watches the kids for a moment before looking down at her.

"I'm still on the fence about the excitement," Sharon admits, "I know once leave tonight I'll feel better, but just the thought of leaving them for the week makes me sad. But I am definitely excited about having you to myself for a whole week."

"Likewise," Andy agrees before leaning down and kissing his wife. Sharon arches her eyebrow as a smile spreads across his face when he pulls back.

"What?"

"You're my wife," Andy says as his grin widens. Sharon laughs and rolls her eyes before straightening up as the food makes its way to them. The couple continues to party the rest of the afternoon and evening away with their guests, staying until people begin to clear out after dark. They hug and kiss all of the kids goodbye, promising to call while they were on their trip and return with souvenirs.

Andy loads their suitcases into the back of the cab that was waiting for them before opening the back door for Sharon, bowing with his hand out.

"M'lady," He offers. Sharon laughs and smiles at him with a soft wink before climbing into the backseat. Andy slips in next to her and shuts the door, telling the driver the hotel they were staying at. Their flight left early the next morning so the two opted to get a room near the airport, also figuring it would give them some well deserved time alone.

Sharon watches as Andy's thumb drifts over her hand and ring as the streetlights illuminate the cab as they drive. He had done well picking out a complimenting band, again choosing three wires twisted together, yet instead of all of them being silver this time, one of them was gold and matched the simple band that Andy wore on his hand. She lifts her thumb and curls it over his fingers, the corners of her mouth lifting in another smile. Her cheeks hurt from how much she'd been smiling all day, but she couldn't help it, she was happy.

Once they get to the hotel Andy pays and tips the driver before getting their bags out of the trunk. Sharon follows him inside and leans into his side with a soft yawn as they check in. He puts a hand on her back as they walk up to the room that had been reserved for them. After unlocking the door he puts the bags by the foot of the bed before tossing the key onto the top of the dresser. Sharon opens her bag and digs through, pulling out a few things and tucking them under her arm before looking at Andy.

"I'm going to go get out of this dress, meet you back here in 10?"

"Sounds good," Andy smiles, watching her move across into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. He shrugs out of his suit jacket, wincing as the movement irritates his shoulder. He drapes the jacket over his suitcase and loosens his tie before his fingers begin to work the buttons on his shirt, pulling it out from his pants. The belt follows the jacket along with his shoes and pants before he sinks down onto the end of the bed to take off his socks, also tossing them in the general direction as the rest of his outfit. He gets up from his spot and walks around to his side of the bed, untucking the covers from under the bed and turning them back.

Andy pauses in his preparation of the bed as he hears the latch on the bathroom door. He straightens up and watches as Sharon comes out, tucking her things back into her suitcase before turning to look at him. His eyes drag down her form, taking in the lingerie that had been hidden under her dress. Her feet were bare, red toenails drumming against the carpet, and the pins and clips had been removed from her hair, letting the curls down to frame her fresh cleaned face. He watches as she draws her bottom lip into her mouth, chewing on it as she watches him watch her, her brow raising in a silent question. He reaches his hand out, curling it around hers before tugging her closer and wrapping his arm around her waist.

"You know, Mrs. Flynn, I think you've gotten even more perfect lately..." He gruffs in her ear sending a shiver down her spine.

* * *

[TBC]


	38. Chapter 38

**Notes:** I apologize for the delay in continuing - I wasn't hitting my rhythm this week and there's just something awkward about writing smut at work ;)

Thanks to everyone that reviewed and said they enjoyed the wedding, we're picking up right after the last chapter - and will probably do a couple chapters of honeymooning before we return to our regularly scheduled programming.

* * *

Sharon hums as Andy's arm wraps around her waist and pulls her closer. She presses her lips to his in a soft kiss before pulling back and stroking his cheek. Andy leans into her touch and presses a kiss to her palm as he holds her close.

"Oh I've missed you," Sharon murmurs as she strokes her hands over Andy's form. She pushes his button up shirt off and onto the floor before pressing her lips to his shoulder, "How are you feeling?"

"I'm finding my second wind," Andy smiles.

"I can feel that," Sharon laughs softly. Andy dips his head and captures her lips in a long deep kiss, his tongue exploring the depths of her mouth as he holds her close. Sharon moans as she kisses him back, her hands slipping under his t-shirt to rest against his warm skin. The two stand kissing for a few moments before she steps forward and nudges Andy back towards the bed. She pushes him down to sit on the edge, standing between his legs as she runs her fingers through his hair.

Pulling gently, Sharon tips his head back and smiles softly at him as his hands take up residence on her hips. For a moment her smile errs its way into goofy territory as she drops her forehead down to rest against his.

"What?" Andy asks.

"We're married," Sharon says.

"We are," Andy smiles back, pecking her on the lips before slipping his fingers over her bustier. He traces the boning, his fingertips skimming over the lace before he cups her breast in his hand, squeezing firmly through the cup. Sharon moans and arches into his touch. He presses his lips against the available exposed skin, practically burying his face in her cleavage as he reaches around to undo the clasps holding it to her body.

He peels the silk and lace fabric away from her torso and tosses it on the floor before pressing his head into her stomach. She was soft and firm with a scent of magnolias lingering on her skin and he hadn't been this close to her in months. Sharon runs her fingers through his hair and hums as she feels his lips on her skin. Andy sighs as he holds her for a moment before tipping his head to look up at her, his chin resting against her abs. She looks down at him and strokes her fingertips over his cheek.

"What?" Sharon asks after he doesn't continue.

"You," Andy murmurs, "You are the…only good thing I ever found in a bar."

"I could say the same to you," Sharon says. She slips her hands down his back and grabs the hem of his undershirt, tugging it up over his head. She tosses it on the ground next to the growing pile of clothes before slipping into his lap and capturing his lips in a hungry kiss. Andy groans into her mouth as he feels her breasts press against his chest, his arms slipping around her waist. His fingers move over her spine, slowly tracing the notches as he strokes his tongue against hers.

Andy grinds his hips up against Sharon's, his hard length against her core, the heat managing to pass between the two layers of fabric between them. He pulls back from her mouth, panting softly as he looks up at her with dark eyes. She watches with interest as his mouth wanders down her chest and across her skin before he wraps his lips around one of her nipples, drawing a soft moan out of her mouth. She gasps as she feels his teeth scrape against her skin. He pulls back after a moment and shifts her weight to being supported by his good arm.

"How about we move?" Sharon suggests, slipping out of his lap. Andy stands from the edge of the bed and she grins before grabbing the waist of his boxers before pulling them down, bending at the waist as she pushes them to the floor, "Are these silk?"

"Yeah," Andy nods, "Got them for tonight."

"Mmm," Sharon lets out an interested hum as she straightens up, teasingly taking a moment to run the tip of her tongue up Andy's length, making him jump. She lets out a throaty laugh as she stands straight, grinning at him with a wink before pushing her own underwear down her legs, "Against the headboard, Mr. Flynn."

"Yes, ma'am," Andy salutes. He climbs into the bed and settles against the headboard with one of the pillows behind his back. Sharon turns the overhead light off before slipping up the bed to settle between Andy's legs. She looks up at him with a teasing lift to her brow as she slips her tongue out again to stroke against him. He draws in a long breath as he looks down at her, watching her as she draws her tongue around his head before taking him into her mouth. His eyes roll back as he lets out a soft groan, his head dropping back against the wall.

Sharon hums as she feels his fingers thread through her hair, her head bobbing up and down slowly, alternating between pressure and swirling her tongue, occasionally throwing in a flick of the wrist. Andy tugs at her hair a moment later, prying her off of him.

"Problem?" Sharon asks.

"In case you weren't aware, I haven't had sex in a little over five months," Andy comments with a laugh, pulling her up to straddle his lap. Sharon hums and positions herself more comfortably, bending her knees as she braces her hands against Andy's shoulders with a light touch.

"Funny thing about that," Sharon says as she presses a quick kiss to his lips, "Me either."

"We're quite the pair," Andy says, groaning as he feels Sharon slowly sink down onto him. She bites her lip and closes her eyes, holding her breath as she works through the pain and pleasure of feeling him stretch her out, "Fuck Sharon."

"I know," Sharon whispers, open her eyes as she sinks down fully on him. Her eyes were a forest green, the pupils blown out with desire. Andy runs his hands up her side before sliding them back down and gripping her hips. She digs her toes into the soft plush of the mattress and rocks her hips against her husband, moaning as she slides back before moving back down.

Andy flexes his hips upward against hers as she sets a rhythm. Their eyes stay locked on each other as they move, no words exchanged as they communicate through their gazes. Sharon quickly feels a tightening in her stomach that she had missed during their self imposed celibacy. She drags her nails up the wood of the headboard, clutching it in her hands as she rocks her hips against him. She drops her head to his shoulder, tucking her body close to him as she moves, changing her angle just slightly enough.

"I love you," Sharon murmurs as she presses her lips against the scar on his shoulder, "I love you so much."

"I love you too," Andy says, turning his head to capture her lips in a deep kiss. Sharon bites at his bottom lip and tightens her grip, her knuckles turning white as she moans his name. She feels the knot in her stomach explode, flooding her nerve endings with heat. Her toes curl and she feels Andy's muscles tense under her as he clutches her hips tighter, anchoring her down to him as he loses himself in her pulsing heat.

The tenseness of Sharon's spine slackens as she sinks against Andy, looping her arms around his back. She pants softly in his ear, both of their muscles pulsing and twitching. Andy's hands slip away from her hips and he rubs them up her back, holding her close. She squeezes him after a moment, pressing her body tightly to his. She pulls back after a moment and rests her forehead against his, looking into his warm brown eyes, watching the color change as his body comes down off his arousal high. Andy smiles at her and reaches up to brush her hair back from her face, running his fingers through the auburn curls.

"Hi," Sharon says as she returns his smile.

"Hi," Andy replies.

"Oh I've missed you," Sharon murmurs as she shifts off of him and slips her hips out further, laying sprawled against his chest. She rests her ear over his heart as Andy reaches down to grab one of the blankets and pull it up. His hand rubs up and down her side a few times before resting his hand on her hip.

"Do we have anything to eat?" Andy asks after a couple moments of silence. Sharon laughs and buries her face into his chest before looking up at him.

"I actually brought some cake with us."

"I knew I married you for a reason," Andy laughs. Sharon gets out of bed and pads over to the tote bag she'd set next to her suitcase. She digs out a Tupperware container and a plastic fork before bringing it back over to the bed and settling down next to Andy. She opens the lid on the container and tosses it on the blankets next to them before handing him the fork after taking a bite for herself.

"Mmm, we picked a good cake."

"We did," Andy says as he digs his fork in and takes a bite himself. When they had gone for the cake tasting during their trip to Hartford he was surprised at her preference after the baker had laid out a dozen different pairings in front of them. He'd expected her to pick a chocolate truffle or the lemon raspberry, but after taking multiple bites of each of the offerings, she'd landed on a red velvet with a light fluffy cream cheese frosting.

"Good day?" Sharon asks as she takes another bite.

"Good day," Andy agrees, playfully depositing a dollop of frosting onto her nose before kissing it off as she wrinkles it. The two take their turns alternating through half of the cake that Sharon had brought in the container before she slaps the lid back on and puts it back in the tote bag, tossing the fork into the trash.

"I am going to take a shower," Sharon says as she grabs a new pair of underwear and a nightgown out of her bag, "Join me?"

"I can't say no to that offer," Andy grins, licking stray frosting from the corner of his mouth before getting up and following her to the shower. After getting distracted by stray suds and the fact that he could put his hands on her again and actually do something with them the two of them straighten the blankets on the bed and climb in for the evening.

Sharon sighs as she looks at the clock while her head rests on his chest. Andy blows an errant curl away from his nose and reaches over to turn the light off. If it hadn't been late when they first checked in it definitely was now. The hotel was silent and there was barely a sound coming from outside. She wasn't used to such quiet. Usually the sound of a little bit of traffic filtered its way to their house. Lily's tail brushed against the sheets as she slept having doggy dreams of running around. Even the house made itself known with small creaks and groans as it settled or one of the kids got up to use the bathroom.

There was also the emptiness. She had a unique equation with who was in the house and how well she slept. Without Andy it was always a crapshoot at trying to get to sleep at all. She'd usually let the kids in bed and at least quiet her mind as she laid with them. When the three of them were home she slept fine. It was when the five of them were home that she slept the best. Having Nicole and Charlie over more helped them worm their way further into Sharon's heart and fuel her inner mama bear. She always had the best sleep when all of the kids and Andy were home, the brood as he liked to refer to them as.

"It's quiet," Sharon whispers. She could already feel Andy going slack. She didn't think he had any such qualms about his quality of sleep depending on his surroundings. He'd been known to fall into a dead sleep sprawled out on the living room floor whilst in the middle of playing with the kids.

"It's quiet because we're enjoying our wedding night and going on a vacation far away," Andy murmurs, "This is why you have kids _after_ getting married."

"Not my fault you couldn't follow tradition," Sharon says, biting at his chest playfully before sighing and burrowing her head in. She closes her eyes and slips her hand under his t-shirt, resting her hand against his warm abs. It takes her longer than usual but she manages to drift off in her husband's arms to catch a couple fleeting hours of sleep before they needed to be at the airport early that morning.

* * *

[TBC]


	39. Chapter 39

**Notes:** Please note I've never been to Ireland (not for lack of trying) - so a lot of this is meant to be semi ambiguous as to names of places they are going. Enjoy!

* * *

Their plane landed in Dublin a little before dinner time the local time. They made their way to the hotel and checked in, dropping off their bags and cleaning up from the flight before deciding to venture out for dinner. Sharon had taken care of planning their entire trip. She had spent a year abroad in Ireland while she was still in college, taking her studies to Cork but spending plenty of time in Dublin as well. Andy's only trips out of the country had been to Italy to visit old family members a couple times, definitely not for long stretches.

He follows behind as she leads them down through town, barely glancing at the map in her hands. Soon they turn off and down Grafton Street and Sharon leads him to a small restaurant. It was nicer than a pub, slightly on the more contemporary side but they were busy and they were given a small wait as Sharon approached the host stand.

"Have you been here before?" Andy asks as he looks around the busy district.

"Not specifically," Sharon says with a smile as her husband's arms wrap around her waist while they wait outside. It was in the high 60s and both of them had light jackets on, but the sun was warm, highlighting the different tones of red and brown in Sharon's hair and the silver flecks that were cropping up in Andy's, "It's owned and operated by a chef that worked at a restaurant I loved coming to when I was here. Little bit more fancy, but great Irish food."

"I'm sold," Andy smiles with a shrug, "They serve food. Left over cake on the plane is hardly breakfast and lunch."

"You're terrible," Sharon murmurs as she slaps him in the abs before leaning up and pressing a soft kiss to his lips. The two of them continue their stand outside for a little while longer before Sharon's name is called and they're taken inside to be seated. The host takes them to a small table for two in the middle of the restaurant and seats them before handing them their menus.

"Is there anything I can get you to drink?"

"Soda water please," Andy says as he flicks his eyes up from the menu. Sharon looks up herself offering a smile at the host.

"I'll take a pint of Guinness," She orders. The host nods and walks away and Sharon returns her eyes to her menu, her hand reaching for Andy's across the table and twisting their fingers together. Both of them peruse the menu, setting them both on the edge of the table before the waiter comes back with their drinks.

"What are you getting?" Andy asks.

"Shepherd's Pie," Sharon says, "You?"

"Fish and chips," Andy smiles.

"Try some of mine if I can try some of yours?"

"Of course," Andy squeezes her hand before looking up as their waiter comes over and sets their drinks down, setting the beer in front of Andy and the water in front of Sharon. Sharon offers Andy a bemused look and reaches over to take the beer before handing him the water.

"Terribly sorry," The waiter apologizes.

"It's no problem," Sharon says with a smile.

"Are you ready to order or did you need a couple moments?"

"No we're ready," Andy says. He leans forward and picks up the menus, handing them up to the waiter as he orders for the both of them, "I'll have the fish and chips, and the _lady_ will have the shepherd's pie."

"And two small house salads if you could," Sharon adds on. They hadn't eaten all day and getting heavy food with limited vegetables wasn't going to be kind to their stomachs.

"I will put that in for you. Is there anything else I can get you?"

"I think we're good," Andy says. The waiter nods and steps away from their table, taking the menus with him. Sharon picks up the pint of dark liquid and takes a long sip, humming as she swallows before licking the small bit of froth off the top of her lip, "I didn't think you were a beer person."

"Mmm, I like stouts on tap," Sharon says, taking another small sip before setting the glass down, "That's about it as far as beer goes. Probably started while I was living here. I settled for cans while I was nursing Ricky."

"Nursing Ricky?" Andy inquires, his head tilting.

"Mmm," Sharon nods, "That bottom drawer in the fridge wasn't stuck closed, I just had a six pack of Guinness I was hiding in there. It's an old wives tale that drinking stout is supposed to help with your milk production. With as much as that boy was eating I needed all the help I could get."

"I wondered about that when it was magically fixed," Andy laughs and shakes his head. Sharon shrugs with a smile, squeezing his hand softly.

"I didn't want to tempt you," She explains. Andy nods, understanding her concerns at the time. The two of them take their time enjoying their dinner, Sharon ordering a second pint after she finishes her first. Once they settle the bill Sharon steps up to the host stand and talks quietly with the woman standing there. He steps up behind her and grabs a toothpick out of the container sitting on top of the stand, unwrapping it before putting it in his mouth. He arches his eyebrow as he listens to her talk, realizing she wasn't speaking English.

Sharon thanks the woman a moment later before taking Andy's hand and leading him out of the restaurant. She looks both ways down the street before leading him in one direction. She'd inquired after a small bakery that had been in the area when she last visited. The host had confirmed that it was still at it's old location, directing her there just in case.

"That wasn't English," Andy says dumbly as he follows his wife through the crowd. Sharon laughs and wraps her arm around his as they continue at a leisurely pace.

"No, no it wasn't," Sharon agrees, "My Dad's family still spoke Gaelic while I was growing up so I had a conversational grasp of it once I got here. And I took a couple courses while I was here to fill in some spots that I didn't know. I hardly get to use it, not many Gaelic speakers in LA. Probably would have done better to study abroad in _España_ and learn some Spanish."

"You are full of surprises."

"Aren't I?" Sharon grins, "I love my Irish heritage, Andy. I'd considered going to law school here, moving to Dublin…"

"What happened?"

"I met Jack," Sharon grumbles and sighs as she turns Andy down another street, "I met him the fall I got back into the country. And _everything_ changed…I feel like some hormonal teenager when I look back at it."

"You weren't that far off from being one."

"Yes, yes, hindsight 20/20," Sharon says before leading Andy into a small storefront, "Dessert?"

"It smells…" Andy shakes his head as they step into the bakery and he takes a deep inhale of the smells making up the aroma inside, "Absolutely delicious."

"It smells French," Sharon grins and winks as they step up to the case of the small bakery that specialized in traditional French pastries, "What would you like?"

"You pick," Andy says, putting his hands on her waist as he stands behind her, looking down at the treats within. Sharon looks up at him with a smile before looking back at the case and ordering a pair of chocolate dipped profiteroles and a raspberry mille-feuille. She pays for the treats and thanks the young woman servicing them as she takes the box.

"You want to find a place to sit?" Sharon asks.

"Sure," Andy nods, offering to carry the box. Sharon hands it over with a thankful look before they head back out onto the street. They walk the couple blocks to an open green space at Trinity College before finding a bench and sitting down. Andy puts the box on his lap, opening it up before turning it to Sharon for her to grab her treat. She picks up one of the profiteroles first and hums as she leans her head against Andy's shoulder before biting into the confectionary, "So what are we doing tomorrow?"

"There's a few museums and galleries I thought we could go to. We'll do breakfast at the hotel, lunch out, and then I got us tickets to a football game. Ireland and Wales at home."

"By football you mean soccer?" Andy questions as he licks some pastry cream off his finger.

"By football I mean soccer," Sharon smiles, "It'll be fun."

"Never been to a soccer game before," Andy says after stuffing the last of the profiterole into his mouth. Sharon gives him an unamused look as his muffled voice comes out along with a little bit of cream. Andy grins and winks at her as he chews before swallowing.

"The games are fun," Sharon says, "I thought you would enjoy it. The World Cup is in the US in '94 and some of the games are going to be in Pasadena. We could get tickets and take the kids."

"Aren't you such a cute planner," Andy says, pinching her cheek playfully, laughing when she slaps his hand away.

"Don't be mean to me on our honeymoon."

"I'm sorry," Andy says pressing a kiss to her cheek.

"Damn right you are," Sharon smiles before reaching into the box and picking up the mille-feuille. She offers it out to Andy to take the first bite, catching the crumbs in the palm of her hand as the pastry cracks under his teeth. He pulls back after a moment and hums as he chews it over while Sharon takes her own bite. He licks his lips and leans over, licking a small bit of cream from the corner of her mouth before kissing her. Sharon hums and leans into his mouth, kissing him back softly and slowly. Andy pulls back and smiles at her as he gives her another quick peck.

"You've always tasted good, but you've gone above and beyond tonight."

"Are you flirting with me, Mr. Flynn?" Sharon asks in a sultry tone.

"What would you say if I am?"

"I have a hotel room around the corner," Sharon suggests, lifting her eyebrow in question as her eyes darken, "Though, I think my husband might be opposed to me taking strangers back."

"Mmm, I don't think he'll mind," Andy smiles, leaning down to press another kiss to her lips. Sharon kisses him back for a moment before standing up and extending her hand out to him. He takes her hand and pulls himself up, wrapping his arm around her waist as they walk quickly back to their hotel.

* * *

[TBC]


	40. Chapter 40

**Notes:** Guys! We made it to chapter 40! This is insane!

* * *

"Andy, what are you doing!?" Sharon exclaims with laughter as her husband pulls her down the street in the opposite direction they were supposed to be heading to head back to the hotel.

"I'm picking something to do," Andy says as he continues to pull her. They had just gotten out of the football game that she had gotten them tickets to and he didn't really feel like going back to the hotel quite yet and had spied a storefront earlier in the day while they were walking around that had piqued his interest. Sharon jogs a couple steps to keep up with his quick pace, following behind him with her own curiosity heightened as well. She digs her heels in as he turns to walk into a tattoo parlor.

"No, no nonononono," Sharon shakes her head, "Uh uh."

"What?"

"We are not getting tattoos," Sharon shakes her head again.

"Who said anything about you getting one?" Andy says with an impish smirk before exerting his strength and pulling her inside, "Though it would be hot as hell..."

"Andy," Sharon says, drawing out the Y slightly in a warning tone. Andy leans down and presses a kiss to her head before walking up to the counter where a receptionist was sitting.

"Can I help you?" The girl asks, leaning forward slightly and offering the two of them a smile with an arched brow.

"Yeah, I was wondering if you had time for a walk in," Andy inquires.

"Depends what you're looking to get."

"One of these," Andy points to a circular knot drawing underneath the glass of the countertop before holding his hands in about a five inch wide circle, "Four lines. About yea big..."

"Just black?"

"Yeah," Andy nods. The receptionist looks at the book in front of her.

"I think we can squeeze you in," She smiles before leaning further over the counter to yell down the hall, "Marcus!...I'll have Marcus get you settled in a station and get started on your artwork. Patrick will be workin' on you."

"Thanks," Andy says as he flashes a smile. A lanky young man with black hair hanging in his eyes comes down the hall and smiles at Andy, offering his hand out.

"Marcus."

"Andy," Andy says and reaches out to shake his hand.

"Marcus, Andy here would like to do the circular knot, four lines and bout five inches. All black."

"Sounds great. Follow me back and we'll get you cleaned up," Marcus tells them before leading them down the hallway to an empty station. Andy drops into the chair and leans forward slightly to pull his t-shirt up and off. Sharon sighs and rolls her eyes as she sits down in a chair in the corner, taking her husband's shirt from him.

"You're insane you know that?" Sharon says.

"That's why you married me," Andy smiles with a wink. Sharon shakes her head before offering him a small smile, her eyes drifting to his shoulder and the raw pink scar there. He really should be wearing his sling still. He waved her off saying the physical therapist said he didn't need it, a lie she knew, but she wasn't going to nag him about it.

"Where were you thinking about putting it?" Marcus asks.

"Here," Andy taps his fingers over his heart, he looks back and watches as Marcus draws out the intricate lines.

* * *

Andy takes a deep breath and sighs as he looks up at the night sky, his good arm bent behind his head as he lays on the ground. They had returned to the hotel after the tattoo parlor, retiring to bed before getting a rental car the next morning and heading out of the city to Cork. Andy watched the countryside pass during the three hour drive, amazed at the lush green that coated the ground, so different to their view in LA.

Their trip took them through Cork and out to the country a bit before Sharon pulled their car down a long drive towards a large estate. She informed him that a friend of hers from college owned the estate and offered to let them stay there while she and her husband were out of town. They would be having a quick lunch with the couple but then would have the house to themselves until they left to go home.

The first evening they had taken a walk of the estate before Andy took responsibility for cooking dinner, serving it to Sharon out on the patio to take advantage of the warm evening. Camping - she had suggested, looking out at the open land before them. There was an ATV in the stable that they could use, and a meadow further out on the property than they had walked before dinner. Sharon described a nice canopy of trees over a small pond with an opening that was perfect for stargazing. It was all Andy could do to nod in agreement.

They spent the next day in Cork proper, wandering around town before heading home with takeout, planning to pack up and head out to the meadow. Sharon packed up the camping equipment from where Mara had told her it was, stacking it up on the back of the ATV as Andy gathered the few supplies they'd need from the house. She locked up once they were finished before handing Andy the keys and climbing into the passenger seat.

They had set up camp on the edge of the small pond, pitching a tent near the water before pulling over some logs to sit on and enjoy their dinner. It had surprised him when she'd suggested pulling out their mats to enjoy the sunset _together_. If anyone had asked him how his life could have been better before that moment, he wouldn't have been able to answer them. Yet, as the golden sun started to dip below the trees and cast her nude form in a healthy glow, capturing the reds in her hair and highlight them like fire as she rode over him, he knew that there might never possibly be a more perfect moment. After, she had slunk down next to him pulling the blanket over their bodies as they continued to watch the sun set before the stars started to come out.

"I can't believe you got a tattoo," Sharon says as she runs her fingers over the fresh ink on his skin. Andy laughs and turns his head to look over at her, surprised at how much he also enjoyed looking at her cast in the moonlight.

"It's been a couple days, still not used to it?"

"I'm never going to get used to it," Sharon says, pressing a soft kiss to the tender area. He had gotten the initial tattoo that he'd requested, but Sharon was surprised when the artist continued to work on him adding a small two strand piece inside of the larger piece, the lines hollow instead of filled in. She sighs as she looks at the work again, suppressing the giggle she wanted to let out at the hairless patch on his chest, "You never told me what it is."

"Guess."

"If I could guess I wouldn't ask," Sharon says, sitting up on her elbow and looking down at him with an arched brow.

"Oh so you'd just assume you were right?"

"Mmhm. Cause I know you so well," Sharon grins, leaning down to kiss him softly, "Tell me."

"The kids," Andy says simply, shrugging his shoulder just slightly.

"The kids?" Sharon says, casting her eyes back down at his chest. She studies the artwork with a furrowed brow before running her fingers over it again as she processes, "Nicole, Charlie, Emily, Ricky…and…oh…"

"That doesn't bother you does it?" Andy asks as he watches the emotions flit over her face. He hadn't considered maybe she didn't want to see a reminder of it every day. He'd been toying with the idea himself for a while, but knew he needed to have spontaneity on his side for it to actually happen. It had to be the right moment.

"No," Sharon shakes her head with a small smile before leaning down and pressing a kiss to the skin again before snuggling up to Andy's side with a sigh. He rests his cheek against the top of her head and sighs softly along with her as they continue to look up at the stars. After a bit more silence and stillness from Sharon, Andy shifts to look down at her to see if she was asleep.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Hmmm, lots of things," Sharon says, her hand stroking back and forth across his abs, "I don't want to go back to the real world...you sure we can't just go pick up the kids and bum around Europe for the rest of our lives?"

"Mmm, money might become an issue at some point," Andy says, "And Lily would miss us...and I don't think Vicky would just let me traipse off to Europe with our kids."

"Party pooper," Sharon insults as her foot trails up his calf shifting her head in the crook of his shoulder, "You ever think about space?"

"Space?"

"Yeah," Sharon answers, not offering more explanation for her question.

"I can't say that I've spent any extended time thinking about it beyond how nice the stars look when I can see them," Andy replies, "Why?"

"It's just so…vast and unknowing," Sharon explains, "I mean, there are people that assume we're the only ones out there…that we're it. But there's billions and trillions miles of completely _unimagined_ space…let alone what we know about and just haven't seen. Like…for all we know, hundreds of billions of miles away there's a couple exactly like us, sitting next to a little pond with water as clear as glass…staring up at the stars.

"I suppose I never thought about it that way…" Andy comments after a moment, "Do you think about that often?"

"No," Sharon shakes her head, "We hardly ever get to see the stars in LA between the smog and the lights…I miss them sometimes. They make you feel small in a good way. That you're part of something bigger, and your problems just…pale in comparison."

"Mmm," Andy hums in agreement.

"You think I'm completely off my rocker don't you?" Sharon laughs, leaning up on her elbow again to look down at Andy.

"Just a bit," He grins up at her, "But I love you, so you want to talk about space we can talk about space."

"Mmm," Sharon hums, "I'm more in the mood to move into the tent for the night, I'm tired of looking at the stars. I am more interested in what is right next to me."

* * *

[TBC]


	41. Chapter 41

**Notes:** Back to the real world now! Kudos to the guest that picked up on the BSG reference last chapter - and if you've checked out my BSG series I've been working on you know that Bill has a similar tattoo in that one as well. Also to the guest that asked about the baby they lost - Sharon believes they would have had a girl and would have named her Sarah (hence the name for the angel that Andy and the kids gave her)

* * *

Sharon moans as she feels her head get jostled from it's position on Andy's shoulder. They had left Cork early that morning to drive back to Dublin and get on a plane to go home. Soon after they had boarded the plane and dropped into their seats her head had found a nice place to rest and she was out like a light. The jostling either meant that they were home or Andy had to go to the bathroom. In both cases she felt her awakening was rude.

"What're you doing?" Sharon mumbles as she leans her head back to rest against her seat, yawning before opening her eyes.

"We just landed," Andy says, "Sorry, I didn't mean to move you."

"It's okay," Sharon comments, clearing her throat before rubbing her eyes with another yawn. She sits up a little straighter and looks past Andy and out the window. They were taxiing towards the gate already, she must have missed the bounce when they hit the tarmac, "What time is it?"

"Little before noon," Andy says as he adjusts his watch.

"Good flight?"

"Yeah," Andy smiles, leaning over to press a soft kiss to her lips. Sharon smiles and kisses him back gently before stroking his cheek.

"I can't wait to see my babies."

"Me either," Andy smiles. It was great getting to spend the week alone with her, but he was definitely ready to get back to the kids as well. They wait until they pull into the gate before getting up from their seats and grabbing their bags from the overhead bin. Sharon slings her purse over her shoulder, carrying the shopping bags they had brought back with them with gifts for the kids and her parents.

The two of them disembark their plane before making their way towards baggage claim. Andy grabs their bags off the belt when they start to come around on the conveyor belt, pulling up the handles as he nods towards the doors leading out to the loading lanes.

"I can take one of those," Sharon says as she takes the handle from his hand, looping the handles of the shopping bags around it before pulling it behind her as she follows him outside. Her eyes wince at the sunlight, pausing for a moment in her stride. It was a little warmer in Hartford than it had been in Ireland. She steps closer to the curb as Andy lifts his hand and hails a cab down, the yellow car pulling up in front of them.

The two men load the bags into the trunk and her husband opens the door for the back seat for her before getting in himself. He gives the driver the address for her parents house before taking her hand in his, squeezing. The two are quiet for their ride home, enjoying the last few moments of their time alone. Once the car pulls up in front of the house they unload the bags and Andy hands over a few bills before thanking the driver. Sharon stops him before he can put his hand on the door knob and walk in. She pulls him to face her and leans up, pressing her lips to his in a long deep kiss. Her arms slip around his waist and she hums softly as his arm slips around hers.

"I love you," Andy murmurs as he pulls back, smiling down at her.

"I love you too," Sharon replies offering him one last peck before opening the door and carrying some of their things inside, "Hello?"

"Momma!" Sharon hears the pathetic cry come from the living room area before hearing tiny feet run across the floor. Emily comes around the corner with her hair piled on top of her head wearing nothing more than a tank top and her underwear. She had red dots all over her skin and tears in her eyes as she runs to her mother, holding her arms up.

"Honey what's wrong?" Sharon says as she lifts her daughter's heavier weight. She wasn't going to be able to pick her up much longer. Her baby waifness was disappearing as she grew taller and danced her way into a great set of muscles for a young girl. Emily's legs latch around Sharon's waist and she drops her head to her shoulder as she stars to cry, "Oh, baby, baby, baby…"

"I don't feel good," Emily wails. Sharon presses her lips to her forehead, noting the feverish temperature of Emily's skin as well as the red bumps all over. Chicken pox. A couple kids in Ricky's daycare had come down with it a couple weeks before, she'd been expecting at least one of them to come down with it since then. Mary comes around the corner wiping her hands on a dishtowel, more dressed down than Andy had ever seen her in leggings and a Yale Law t-shirt, looking the spitting image of her daughter on lazy Sundays.

"You're home!"

"Apparently not a moment too soon," Sharon says, swaying back and forth with Emily as she tries to settle her the best she can without knowing exactly what was wrong.

"They were feeling crummy yesterday after we talked to you," Mary explains as Andy steps inside, "I figured they were just getting colds. They both woke up covered in chicken pox…Doctor Harrison came by this morning and took a look at them. Both of them have it. Emily is a little worse for wear, she has an ear infection as well and a bit of a sore throat. Ricky just seems to have the itchy rash and a fever."

"Oh my poor baby," Sharon murmurs as she kisses Emily on the head again, "Let's go find your brother and see if we can't make you feel a little bit better."

"He's on the couch in the living room, I was just making lunch," Mary says, nodding in the direction that Emily had appeared from, "Leave the bags, you can take care of them later."

"I think Grandma is glad we're home," Sharon murmurs with a grin to Emily as she carries her into the living room. The girl was down to sniffles after her initial outburst, but had not loosened her grip on her mother at all. Ricky was sprawled out on one end of the couch in his Ninja Turtle underwear watching tv, occasionally scratching a part of his body. He looks up when he hears the footsteps coming into the room, his eyebrows perking up and a smile spreading across his face.

"Momma!"

"Hi my beautiful prince," Sharon smiles, leaning down to kiss him on the nose before sitting next to him with Emily, finally getting the little girl to loosen her grip slightly. She stays snuggled up to her mother, her hand curled in her shirt as she whines and coughs. Andy ruffles his son's hair with a smile before reaching out to rub Emily's back. The girl jerks away from his touch and burrows further into Sharon, letting out a tiny grunt. Whilst Emily was normally a daddy's girl through and through, when she didn't feel well she latched onto Sharon with a ferocity that knew no bounds.

"What can I do?" Andy asks, looking at Sharon.

"Uh, check with my mom and see if she's given them any Tylenol. And maybe a couple cold compresses and some calamine lotion?"

"Yes ma'am," Andy says, pressing a kiss to the back of her head before heading into the kitchen to talk to Mary, "I hope they haven't been too much trouble beyond the last day or so?"

"Not at all," Mary smiles as she stirs some soup on the stove, "They're angels really. What can I get you?"

"Sharon wanted to know if they have had any Tylenol?"

"They are just about due some more," Mary says before pointing to the bottle on the island that was sitting next to a bottle of calamine lotion.

"And wash cloths?"

"To the right of the sink."

"Thanks," Andy says. He runs a couple washcloths under the cold tap. He wrings them out mostly and folds them up before grabbing the Tylenol and lotion, carrying them into the living room. He hands the cloths to Sharon before taking a seat on the coffee table. He reads the side of the Tylenol bottle before dosing enough out for Ricky, "Here Bub."

"I don't wanna," Ricky wrinkles his nose, turning his head away from the cup, "Taste yucky."

"I know it does, but it'll make you feel better," Andy says, "Bottoms up."

"Nooo."

"Yesss," Andy rebuts, holding the cup to his mouth before tipping it back for him to drink. Ricky swallows down the purple liquid with a wrinkle of his nose. Andy gives him a small sip of juice to rinse out his mouth before measuring out another cup for Emily. He hands it to Sharon before busying himself with putting some calamine lotion on Ricky's bumps, "Did you have a good week with Grandma and Grandpa?"

"Yes!" Ricky nods, watching with interest as his father paints his skin with pink, "Miss you."

"We missed you too," Andy assures him. Once he finishes with the lotion he hands it over to his wife before taking the washcloth and draping it around the back of Ricky's neck, "Good?"

"Cold."

"It's supposed to be," Andy smiles, "It's for your fever. Just for a little bit."

"Soup is on," Mary says as she brings a tray into the living room with a few bowls of soup on its surface. She sets the tray down on the coffee table and grabs up the kids juice cups to refill them. Andy grabs one of the bowls and a spoon.

"Hungry?" Andy asks his son as he spoons out a bite for himself. Ricky nods, opening his mouth as Andy spoons up another bite before directing the spoon towards him. He feeds Ricky the bowl of soup, taking a couple bites for himself before putting it back on the tray. The boy yawns and reaches up to rub his eyes as he does. Andy takes the cloth off of his neck and holds his hands out, "Come on, let's go lay down."

Ricky shuffles forward on the couch, holding his arms up. Andy lifts him up off the couch and presses a kiss to his head as he carries him upstairs to the guest room he was staying in. He tucks him into the bed, draping the sheet over his body.

"Comfy?"

"Want Snuffles," Ricky says, pointing to his dog that was laying on the floor. Andy picks the stuffed animal up and bops Ricky in the nose with it before laying it down on the bed next to him. He wraps his arms around the fuzzy toy, letting out another yawn. Andy runs his fingers through his hair, sitting with him until he falls asleep. He makes his way back downstairs and grabs their bags to bring up to the bedroom before heading back down and starting to pick up the living room. The kids had definitely done their damage on the orderly home that Mary and Bill usually kept. He carries the dishes into the kitchen and sets them on the counter before returning to the living room to sit next to Sharon.

"How's she doing?" Andy asks, looking at Emily who had stretched out on the couch next to her mother, resting her head in her lap. Sharon had undone the hair tie from her hair and was running her fingers through Emily's hair slowly, massaging her fingers along the girl's scalp.

"Better than when we got in," Sharon says as she looks down, finding Emily asleep with her thumb hanging out of her mouth, "He go down okay?"

"Yeah," Andy nods.

"We can't put them on a plane tomorrow," Sharon comments, looking up at Andy, "They're still contagious and with Emily's ears…"

"How long before they'd be okay to travel?"

"A few days at least," Sharon shrugs with a sigh, "Why don't you head home tomorrow? Pick Lily up from the kennel, go back to work…I can call in and hang out here with them for a few more days."

"I don't want to leave you here alone with them."

"We'll be fine, my mom will be around. There's no reason for both of us to use up more vacation days," Sharon insists.

"We'll see in the morning," Andy compromises.

"Mmm sure we will," Sharon smiles, leaning over to kiss him, "Back in the thick of it already."

* * *

[TBC]


	42. Chapter 42

**Notes:** A couple reviewers pointed out Ricky's abrupt transition to underwear in the last chapter - He is almost three and I would assume Sharon and Andy had started potty training at that point, but I'm not an expert on the topic beyond some very base level googling. Andy also might not be completely up to par on the topic as well (putting him in bed without a pull-up or potty break) considering that he was still drinking and kicked out of the house around the time Charlie might have been going through this stage.

Also I'm no pro on how police departments do pinning ceremonies, hence the brevity.

And thanks for getting this story to 300 reviews! I love hearing all of your thoughts! Enjoy!

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Andy sighs as he walks into the house. The car was back in the driveway so he knew that Sharon and the kids had made it back. He'd taken a cab home from the airport so they'd have a way to get home later in the week. He's surprised to not hear any noise in the house as he hangs up his suit jacket, rubbing a hand over his shoulder as he does. His physical therapist hadn't been kind to him at his appointment earlier in the week especially after hearing that Andy had decided to not wear his sling for the entire week instead of the single day that he'd been given clearance for.

Andy steps further into the house and sticks his head into the kitchen before heading for the living room. He smiles when he finds the three of them stretched out on the couch. Emily was nestled between Sharon and the back of the house while Ricky was laying between her legs with his head on her stomach. All three of them were fast asleep and he could see the rash was fading away on the kids' skin. They had stayed in Hartford for most of the week, Sharon making plans to fly back Friday.

He watches them sleep for a moment before going to find the camera, digging it out of the drawer he had put it in earlier in the week. He stands at the end of the couch and lifts the camera to his eye, taking a couple pictures of the three of them. Sharon takes a quick breath in at the clicks and stretches her toes out before opening her eyes. She smiles as she sees Andy standing at the edge of the couch.

"Hi there."

"Hey, I didn't mean to wake you," Andy says as he sets the camera down before taking a seat on the edge of the coffee table.

"It's okay," She shakes her head slightly, "I think we're all still a little jet lagged."

"I'm sure," Andy agrees, "How was the rest of the week?"

"It was fine," Sharon smiles, "Ricky's fine, Emily's on the mend. Your shoulder bothering you?"

"Just a little bit," Andy says, "Overdid it last week, but still well enough to do paperwork."

"Mmm," Sharon chuckles.

"Let me go change and then I'll make dinner," Andy says as he stands, leaning down to press a kiss to her lips.

"You don't have to do that."

"I want to," Andy winks before heading down to the bedroom finding Lily was sprawled out on top of their bed asleep. He changes out of his work clothes, putting on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt before coming back out to the kitchen. He finds his wife extracted from the kids' grasp, standing in front of the fridge and perusing the contents.

"You went to the store."

"I did," Andy says as he wraps his free arm around her waist, pressing a kiss to the side of her head, "What looks good?"

"Hmm, chicken pasta?" Sharon suggests, "Pasta sounds really good."

"I can do that," Andy smiles, pressing a couple soft kisses to her neck before letting her go to get the things out of the fridge. Sharon takes a seat at the breakfast bar, resting her chin on her hand as she watches her husband cook. A dopey smile spreads over her lips, _her husband._ Andy turns to look at Sharon, arching his brow at her goofy grin, "Did you still want to go to that pinning ceremony tomorrow?"

"Yeah," Sharon nods focusing her attention on Andy instead of being lost in her thoughts, "Vicky is going to meet us there and sit with the kids, we'll bring all of them back with us after. I already have a cake ordered for pick up at the bakery and we will be celebrating Ricky's birthday on Sunday. Some of his friends from preschool are coming over."

"Sounds good," Andy smiles. He couldn't believe it was already Ricky's 3rd birthday. The kid was growing like a weed and practically guaranteed to tower over his mother by the time he was a teenager. He had Andy's tall build, but had a slim lankiness to him from Sharon's side of the family, "I picked up the uniforms from the dry cleaner yesterday and I even remembered to get extra snacks at the store for Sunday. You want to give me a hand putting on a pot of water?"

"Yes," Sharon says getting up from her spot. She fills a pot with water before putting it on the back burner of the stove for Andy. She sprinkles in salt before turning the burner on high.

"How did your parents enjoy having the kids?"

"They enjoyed it," Sharon smiles as she takes a spot next to Andy, helping him cut up the chicken and vegetables for dinner, "She asked about maybe taking them for a week or so during the summers. Maybe once at the beginning and once at the end. Give us a little bit of a break, get to spend time with the kids."

"What do you think about that?"

"I think it would be good for them," Sharon says, "But I wouldn't want to take time away from your mom getting to spend time with them. Or us being able to go on a trip ourselves."

"Your mom and my mom seemed like two peas in a pod at the wedding," Andy comments, "I don't think she'd have any problem driving up to Hartford to pick them up for a couple days or your parents bringing them down to Brooklyn. And we could always take a long weekend when we go to pick them up."

"Maybe you're right," Sharon agrees, biting her lip, "I miss them though."

"You are always going to miss them," Andy says, "Even when they're thirty years old and living in their own homes with their own families."

"Preposterous," Sharon says as she looks over at Andy, shoving the cutting board across the counter to him, "They're never growing past the age of 10."

Andy laughs and shakes his head, taking the cutting board before starting to put things into the pan he had heating. They both look up as they hear the shuffle of feet across the wood floor before the bathroom door slams. Emily comes shuffling in a couple moments later, rubbing her eye as she wraps her arm around Andy's leg and leans into his hip.

"Hi Daddy."

"Hi honey," Andy says, reaching down to run his fingers through her hair, "Are you feeling better?"

"Mmhm," Emily nods, "Mama and Nana took care of me."

"I bet they did," Andy smiles, "Did you have a good week with your grandparents?"

"Mmhm! We did lots of fun stuff. I like hanging out with them."

"Good," Andy says, offering her a piece of red pepper before patting her on the back of the head as she walks away. Ricky comes in a couple moments later as Sharon dries her hands off, puffing his chest out as he stands in front of her.

"I go potty."

"You did?" Sharon smiles as she hangs the towel on the handle of the fridge giving Emily a look as she rolls her eyes, "Good job! How about we put a sticker on the chart, hmm?"

"Yes," Ricky nods. Sharon reaches and grabs a packet of stickers she kept on top of the fridge, letting him pick one out before directing him to put it on the chart hanging on the side of the fridge. They had begun working on his potty training earlier in the year, slowly bringing the boy around to the idea of going on the big people potty, "Nana said you were very good while we were on vacation."

"I only have one accident," Ricky declares proudly.

"I know," Sharon smiles and leans down, peppering his face with kisses. The four of them eat dinner together before Andy and Sharon get the kids tucked into bed for the evening. Sharon takes a quick shower before climbing into bed next to Andy, settling next to him with a happy sigh.

"I got the pictures developed," Andy says, handing her the small stack of pictures they'd taken on their vacation.

"Ooh," Sharon says, rolling onto her back before starting to flip through the pictures. She pulls one out of the group and leans over to grab the picture frame on her bedside table. She takes the back out and puts the new picture in front of the old one before replacing the frame to its former position and setting the rest of the pictures down next to it. The photo she had picked was of the two of them at the soccer game, Andy's arm wrapped around Sharon's waist as she leaned into him and rest her hand on his chest. She snuggles back up to Andy and threads her fingers through his as he wraps his arm around her waist, "I love you."

"I love you too," Andy replies as he presses a kiss to her shoulder, "I'm glad you're home."

"Me too," Sharon says, tipping her head back to kiss him before sighing and closing her eyes.

The next day the family of four makes their way to the large auditorium at the Parker Center. It was more frequently used as the press conference room, but on days like this it focused as a function area for pinning ceremonies. Both Sharon and Andy were dressed in their uniforms, holding onto the kids as they walk towards the first few rows where Vicky and her husband were sitting with Gavin, Nicole, and Charlie.

"Gavin, I didn't know you were coming," Sharon says as she hugs her friend, kissing him on the cheek.

"I'm here to support my two favorite LAPD officers," Gavin smiles, offering Andy a hand shake, "Andrea is supposed to come over. She was finishing some work up."

"I think she gives even me a run for being a workaholic," Sharon comments. Gavin had introduced her to the young lawyer the year before. The two had gone to law school together and Andrea had spent some time post graduation up in the Bay Area working at a prestigious law firm before a position at the district attorney's office had opened up in LA that she had set her eyes on.

"You know her. She wants to make Deputy by 35," Gavin waves his hand with a roll of his eyes. He looks down at the kids as they clamor over each other to sit in the order that they wanted, "Why are all of your children polka dotted?"

"Chicken pox," Sharon and Vicky answer at the same time. Sharon looks over at the other brunette concern on her face, "Oh no, Nic and Charlie got it too?"

"Mmhm," Vicky nods, "They're doing fine though. No worse for the wear even if they are a little polka dotty."

"It's very High street," Gavin comments. Andy squeezes Sharon's hand and tugs it slightly to get her attention.

"We should get going," Sharon says, waving goodbye to the kids before following Andy up to the section where the officers were standing. The two of them are forced to line up in different areas since Sharon had decided to keep O'Dwyer on the force, changing her last name to Flynn for personal matters only. The group of commendations was smaller than usual, a lot of demotions and dismissals had come out of the riots.

Sharon claps and smiles as Andy stands on stage, looking on proudly as he gets his Sergeant Two patches as well as his meritorious service commendation. She has to stop herself from narrowing her eyes as she hears him let out a piercing whistle when she's on stage herself a few minutes later receiving the same commendation, but her smile widens as the Assistant Chief moves on and she finds his eyes in the crowd from under the brim of her cap.

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[TBC]


	43. Chapter 43

**Notes:** Hey guys! I am on a brief stint of retirement while I prepare to move at the end of the month so I'm hoping to bring you more frequent chapter updates in our lovely couple's take on life. Thanks to **Kadi219** for directing me to some inspiration for this chapter, and thanks to everyone that reviewed on the last one including my guests :)

Also - if anyone has any ideas for chapters let me know :D

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"What's this?" Andy asks, looking up as Provenza drops a file onto his desk. He reaches out to grab it, flipping the front cover open. Inside was a stack of ballistic reports from SID looking to cover a few cases.

"A few ballistic reports I just picked up," Provenza explains as he leans against the edge of Andy's desk, "Got a match to your case."

"My case?" Andy arches his eyebrow, "I've been sittin' on the desk for two months, what do you mean my case?"

" _Your_ case idiot. The open case from you getting shot? Or have you already forgotten."

"No I haven't forgotten. God why do you have to be such an ass," Andy asks rhetorically as he flips through the file. A gun had been found that came back tying itself to three open cases; the shooting that Provenza had been investigating when Andy was shot, Andy's own shooting, and another seemingly unrelated case, "Where did they find the gun? You said that area was combed afterwards."

" _We_ didn't find it," Provenza says with a cross of his arms, "It was brought to us. As part of a program to get guns off the street. People turn them in in exchange for food. It's run by that church down a few blocks from the shootings."

"Have you talked to anyone over there yet?" Andy asks as he closes the file.

"I was just headed over there now. Thought you might jump at the chance to stop being a desk monkey...," Provenza goads as he takes the file back, "and be a real cop."

"Remind me again why I'm friends with you?"

"Because I'm the only one who will offer to bust your ass out of this joint," Provenza points out with a raised brow as he straightens up. Andy rolls his eyes and stands up, tossing his pen onto his desk. He was lucky that it wasn't his dominant arm that was injured and he could at least come in to fill out reports. He grabs his jacket off of the back of his chair before slipping it on and following Provenza out of the squad room.

Sharon sighs as she flips the page in the book she was reading, looking at her watch again. It was after 10 and she hadn't seen or heard from Andy since that morning. He was supposed to come home right after work to be with the kids so she could go out with Gavin and Andrea. They had made plans to have dinner and go to a show. When Andy hadn't shown up home on time and Sharon had placed a call to the precinct to only find that he and Provenza had left a couple hours before, she'd cancelled on dinner and told her friends she was hoping to make the show. When he still wasn't home a couple hours later, she cancelled on the show as well calling the couple places she could think of him being as worry began to settle in.

She'd given up on her outfit for the evening after fixing the kids dinner, sighing as she listened to rain begin to pour outside. The rain had kept up after she'd tucked the kids into bed and she'd curled up on the sofa with a new book while she settled into wait. The slam of the front door soon after the first clap of thunder they had had all night had her on edge and furious in an instant.

Sharon claps her book shut and pushes herself off of the couch, rounding the corner to the entry way with a narrow eye. Andy was soaked to the bone and she could tell his muscles were tense. He was holding his sling in his hand instead of wearing it as he unpacked his work stuff, setting his badge and handcuffs on the entry table with an angry flip of his wrist.

"Do you have any idea what time it is?" Sharon starts, her volume low so she doesn't wake the kids, but her tone warning.

"I'm guessing that you do," Andy says as he drops the sling on top of everything.

"Where on earth have you been?" Sharon asks, her arms crossing over her chest, "You were supposed to be home at five, I called work and they said you went out with Provenza, which you are _not_ supposed to be doing. It's almost 10:30! And you…reek of a bar. Andrew…"

"Look, do we have to do this now?" Andy bites back. He unbuttons his shirt and drops it onto the floor with a splat before kicking his pants off and adding his wet undershirt to the mix. He leans down and picks the clothes up, brushing past Sharon to go to the laundry room.

"I would say that we do," Sharon replies as he puts the clothes into an empty basket, adding his boxers to the pile before pulling a fresh pair out of the dryer along with a pair of jogging pants and putting them both on, "Andy, you made promises to the kids about what you were going to do tonight, I had to cancel my plans, and you came home reeking of beer and smoke. Do I need to know where you are every hour of the day? No. But I'd like to know when you're going to be late. And I would like to know what has you wound up so tight."

"I didn't want to come home," Andy says simply as he straightens up to his full height. He reaches up to rub his shoulder, "I didn't have a good day. And I didn't want to come home."

" _Andy_ ," Sharon impresses, her eyes narrowing again, "You do _not_ get to lie to my children and then just say you didn't feel like coming home."

"Excuse me?" Andy's eyes narrow and darken, " _Your_ children?"

"You made them promises, Andy," Sharon says, "They were disappointed when you didn't come home."

"That doesn't exactly remove me from the equation of being their father," Andy barks, "Look I'm sorry I disappointed the kids, I'll make it up to them."

"What happened?" Sharon asks again, her voice softening into more of a whisper.

"Provenza came up earlier this afternoon, ballistics came back on my shooting…"

"They found the gun?"

"It was turned in," Andy clarifies, "From the church near where I was shot. They were running a program that traded food for turned in handguns…Gun was wiped clean, no prints. So we went down to the church to talk to the priest who was running the program, a Father Jack."

"You're not released to be out in the field yet," Sharon points out.

"I can have a great conversation with a bum arm," Andy says, "I'm also starting to believe all guys named Jack are assholes. He wouldn't cooperate and tell us anything about any of the guns they collected. Says it's protected by the church."

"It is," Sharon offers.

"Dammit Sharon! I don't care if the guy turned the gun into the Pope himself. He shot me!" Andy exclaims, "I got shot by some punk who is getting a free pass on any kind of punishment, because some priest…"

"…is trying to make the city a little safer."

"Whose side are you on?" Andy spits.

"I'm on your side," Sharon says. She steps closer and sighs as she reaches up to rub his shoulder for him, "I understand that you are angry. I am too. You have no idea how much I want to see someone punished for what happened to you, we could have lost you."

"But?" Andy says, hearing the unspoken word at the end of her sentence.

"But they are trying to make the city a little safer."

"That's our job."

"Well, we haven't been doing a great job lately. So you can understand the public's reticence to hand their guns over to us," Sharon says. Andy winces and pulls away as her fingers dig in a little deep to his shoulder, "Sorry…"

"We spent a while at the church," Andy says, "When we left I wasn't really in the mood. Louie and I went to Malone's. He had a couple drinks, we talked and watched the game, had some shitty burgers…I dropped him off, and I still wasn't…"

"Ready to come home."

"Yeah," Andy sighs and looks down at the floor, his muscles slackening slightly. Who was he to have a bad day and not come home to a great wife and happy kids, "I drove for a while. Ended up at Griffith Park, sat on the ridge for a while before it started to rain and even a little after…and then I started driving again…and then I came home."

"I would have stayed," Sharon says, "If you had come home and needed me, I would have stayed."

"I know that. I just wasn't in a good spot…" Andy admits. Sharon sighs and steps closer, wrapping her arms around him. She rubs her hands up his back and he rests his forehead against her shoulder as he wraps his arms around her waist.

"You're freezing," Sharon comments, "Come on. Let's go upstairs."

"I never turn that down," Andy murmurs before straightening up again. He runs his hand through his hair, the ends sticking up from their wetness, "Shar?"

"Yeah?" Sharon says, turning back to look at him as she goes to the living room to turn off the light.

"I'm sorry," Andy tells her with a slight shrug, looking her in the eye before his eyes drop down to the floor again. Sharon flips the light off and stops to lock the door before walking back over to him. She slips her hand under his chin, tipping his face up again before pressing her lips softly to his.

"I love you Andy. I married you. I worry about you," Sharon tells him, "And I am always going to be willing to help you. I'd rather you yell and scream at me then feel like you need to not come home."

"I love you too," Andy replies as he looks down at her. She takes his hand in hers and pulls him to their bedroom. She lets his hand drop once they get inside and sheds her bottoms, dropping them into the hamper before pulling the blankets back on the bed.

"Sit," Sharon commands, patting the spot in front of her as she climbs onto the mattress and sits in the middle against the pillows propped up against the head board. Andy arches his eyebrow for a moment before climbing into bed and sitting in front of her as she indicated. He crosses his legs with an uncertain look on his face before Sharon begins to run her fingers over his back, her thumbs digging into his skin. She scoots closer and straddles his waist as her hands rub his shoulders, attempting to loosen the muscles.

"That feels nice."

"You know that your doctor doesn't tell you to wear the sling for kicks and giggles," Sharon reminds him as she works out a knot on the back of his shoulder blade, "If you keep skirting the rules you're not going to get cleared to go back."

"I know," Andy says with a sigh, "I just hate wearing that stupid thing."

"I know," Sharon agrees. She continues to massage his shoulders, also taking a few minutes to rub her hands down his back before pressing a kiss to his neck and slipping back away from him. She moves over to her side of the bed and settles down. Andy stretches out towards his toes before settling down next to her and sighing as he lays on his back, tucking his arm under his head. She turns the light off and snuggles up to his side, resting the palm of her hand against his abs. After a few minutes of silence Sharon speaks up in a whisper, "Andy?"

"Hmm?" Andy grunts.

"I'm sorry if I was nagging you tonight…" She apologizes, "I just worry about you."

"You weren't nagging," Andy assures her, pulling his hand out from under his head to rub it down her back, "You also don't have to worry about me. I'm a big boy."

"You're also my husband. And I'd very much like to keep you in that position," Sharon says, pressing a kiss to his chest before closing her eyes finally.

"I'll do everything I can to stay there."

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[TBC]


	44. Chapter 44

Hi Everyone!

The division in this story crept up on me faster than it did the last time!

I'm going to be transitioning to a new sequel, first chapter to be posted shortly. You will be able to find it under "Two to Tango".

I look forward to meeting you over there.


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